


The Missing Piece

by CommanderHeartEyes071215



Series: The Missing Piece [1]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bullying, Dorks in Love, F/F, Finn Collins Being an Asshole, Friends to Lovers, Homophobia, Light Angst, Lot of fluff though, Oblivious Lexa, Panic Attacks, Protective Clarke, Shy lexa, more tags and characters will be added as the story progresses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-09-02 22:05:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 33
Words: 122,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8685154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CommanderHeartEyes071215/pseuds/CommanderHeartEyes071215
Summary: Clarke finds her life completely changed when a shy brunette makes her way into it.Basically a typical high school story where Lexa is shy and oblivious while Clarke is protective af.I suck at summaries but give it a shot, you might like it :)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, this is my first fanfic. I've been wanting to write one for some time now and I finally decided to do it.  
> English is not my native language so there might be a few mistakes. I also can't promise regular updates cause school is a bit crazy at the moment with exams and everything.  
> Anyways, hope you like it :)

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

<<<>>> indicates a change of POV

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

This was not how Clarke pictured her senior year to be.

You see, she always thought she would feel some kind of change but so far, school remained the same endless and boring cycle. It was clear to everyone that Clarke was extremely popular, not that she ever wanted to be. She had many friends and could have anyone she wanted and yet, she felt as though something was missing in her life.

She was pulled away from her thoughts when the bell rang, indicating the end of first period. She made her way towards her locker where Octavia and Raven were waiting for her.

"Did you guys hear about the new transfer student ?" Octavia asked in an overly excited voice.

"What transfer student ?" Clarke asked.

"Apparently, there is going to be a new student arriving here today" Raven replied "And Octavia, here, is being a thirsty hoe hoping it will be a hot guy"

"Am not !" protested Octavia "I’m just curious" she added weakly.

"Whatever you say, O" Raven said teasingly.

"Do we not know anything about them ?" Clarke asked, intrigued.

"Nope."

"Weird. Well, as much as I would love to stay, I got a class to go to and so do you. See you later, losers" Clarke said before she walked towards her next period.

 

_________________________________

 

Clarke hated math. Actually no, she hated the math teacher. Charles Pike was a substitute at Arkadia since the beginning of the school year. The guy had barely been here for two months but he acted as if he owned the place. It infuriated Clarke.  
As Clarke was dozing off, a knock on the door made her jump in surprise. She looked up and saw the principal, Mr.Kane, entering the classroom followed by a girl she had never seen before. Her brain suddenly stopped working.

**_The girl was beautiful._ **

Her wild chestnut curls were falling down her shoulders. She was fit and probably a bit taller than Clarke. Her face was angled towards the floor, making it impossible to see her eyes and Clarke couldn’t help but notice how vulnerable she looked. A sense of protectiveness flowed over Clarke at the sight. As she regained her senses, she caught the end of Kane’s sentence.

" …….Lexa Woods. She is joining us here at Arkadia High. Please, welcome her well."

Whispers could be heard from other students and the newcomer still didn’t look up as Kane exited the room. When Pike instructed her to take a seat, a visible wave of panic flew through her as she was now the center of attention. When she finally detached her eyes from the ground, they connected with blue ones.

Seeing the fear in beautiful emerald eyes, Clarke offered her a soft smile and watched as Lexa made her way towards the back of the class, plopping down quietly in the seat next to Clarke’s.

"Hey, I’m Clarke" she whispered.

The girl chanced a glance at her and nodded slightly, acknowledging Clarke but making no move to respond. She then resumed looking at her book which seemed like the most interesting thing to her right now.

Clarke didn’t let it unsettle her as she whispered again. "Where do you come from ?"  
At this, the girl gripped her pencil tighter and Clarke decided to let it go for now.

"It’s okay if you don’t want to talk. Just know that I’m here if you need help with classes or anything."

 

<<<>>>

 

Lexa didn’t know why this girl was talking to her. They didn’t know each other. Most importantly, she didn’t understand why she was being so nice. People at her old school were never nice to her. She got bullied a lot and had to change schools because of it. Surely, this time was not going to be any different. She couldn’t understand what Clarke wanted from her so she remained silent. She thought she saw a disappointed look take over the blonde’s features but she must have imagined it. Why would anyone want to be friends with someone like her ? Especially someone as beautiful as Clarke.

The blonde’s beauty did not go unnoticed by Lexa but she couldn’t allow herself to develop a crush on her. Not after what happened the last time. Not when it would be another reason for people to make her the target of their attacks. She decided to just keep her eyes on her book and prayed that no one would pay attention to her.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t notice she had been asked a question. The only indications of it were the several eyes now trained on her, making her highly uncomfortable and the expectant look in her teacher’s eyes. She should have known things were not going to go as smoothly as she hoped.

Pike then repeated his question, sounding slightly annoyed. "From which school do you come from, Miss Woods ?"

_Lexa froze._

She was not prepared for this. It was a simple question really, but Lexa couldn’t find it in her to reply due to all the students looking at her. She just stared at the teacher, mouth slightly agape, panic starting to settle in. Why couldn’t anyone understand that speaking in public terrified her ? Why couldn’t they just leave her alone ?

The silence dragged on and Pike looked angry now. "Miss Woods, answer the question !" he yelled.  
Lexa felt unshed tears in the corner of her eyes, threatening to fall and was about to let them do exactly that when a voice rang through the room.

_**Clarke.** _

"Can’t you see she’s not comfortable with this ?! Why would you push her to answer the damn question when she clearly doesn’t want to ?" she said angrily.

"Miss Griffin, you will stay out of this !!"

"Like hell I will." she replied.

This was too much. Lexa needed to get out of this classroom as soon as possible. She jumped out of her seat and ran out the door. She barely registered the sound of the door opening and closing behind her as she ran to the nearest bathroom. _**Why can’t I** **be normal ?**_ She thought as she sobbed and breathed heavily on the cold floor.

 

<<<>>>

 

Clarke saw Lexa run out of the classroom and stopped mid-sentence. She hurried out, looking around for Lexa, ignoring Pike yelling at her to get back immediately.

She saw movement from the corner of her eyes and ran towards it only to find an empty hallway.

"Fuck" she muttered under her breath. She spotted the bathroom, pushed the door open and was met with an heartbreaking sight. There was Lexa, sitting on the floor, breathing heavily, her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. Her mom being a doctor, Clarke immediately recognised the signs of a panic attack and pushed away her sadness for the girl in front of her so she could help her.

She got closer to the girl who still hadn’t noticed the intruder and slowly crouched down to her eye level making sure not to touch the brunette, not knowing if she would be okay with physical contact.

"Lexa ? Lexa, it’s Clarke. You’re safe. I need you to breathe, okay ?"

The only indication that the girl had heard her was the slight nod she gave. Her breathing was still not slowing down, though.

Clarke had to think fast. This time, she gently wrapped her hand around Lexa’s upper arm. The brunette tensed up but didn’t pull away. Clarke took it as a good sign and continued trying to calm her down.

"Lexa, I need you to focus on my voice, just listen to my voice. Do you think you can do that for me ?"

Once again Lexa offered a nod and looked into Clarke’s eyes for the first time since the beginning of the exchange. Lexa’s eyes were filled with tears and ** _… fear ?_**  
**_What is she so afraid of ?_** Clarke wondered. However, she didn’t have time to dwell on it. Lexa needed her.

"Here, try to match your breathing with mine, alright ?"

Clarke started taking big, slow breaths before slowly releasing the air from her lungs. After the fifth time, Lexa joined her and a few minutes later, her breathing had considerably slowed down. When Lexa’s breathing evened out, Clarke got up to get her some tissues. She was about to turn around when long fingers wrapped around her wrist, green eyes looking up at her pleadingly.

**She thinks I’m going to leave her.**

Clarke crouched back down and cupped Lexa’s cheeks with both hands. Surprisingly, Lexa didn’t pull away from the touch, if anything, she leaned into it.

"Hey, I’m not leaving you. I was just going to grab some tissues for you but I can stay right here if you want." Clarke reassured her softly.

 

<<<>>>

 

When Clarke got up, Lexa got so scared. She grabbed Clarke’s wrist, surprising herself at the action. She was never one for physical contact. What was it about Clarke that made her feel so at ease ?

She tried to convey through her eyes what she so desperatly wanted to say and luckily clarke understood because she went back to her previous position, cupping her cheeks, offering the comfort Lexa needed.

Lexa didn’t understand why this almost stranger was being so nice but she decided to accept it because it felt really good to not be alone for once. So when Clarke wrapped her arms around her, she let herself sink into the embrace.

 

___________________________________

 

 

She doesn’t know how long they stayed like this, only separating when the bell resonated through the hallways.

Suddenly, Lexa felt extremely self-conscious and couldn’t help the blush that rose to her cheeks. She had just had a break down in front of a girl she barely knew. She tried masking her embarassement by looking away but Clarke had felt the shift in her behaviour.

"Hey, there’s no need to be embarrassed" she said softly "Like, I said, I’m here for you. I’m not just talking about classes. Whatever you need, you can ask me."  
Upon hearing those words, Lexa felt a spark of hope inside of her but quickly shut it down. **_She will leave you, just like everybody else. You can’t afford to be weak._**

With that in mind, she quickly left the bathroom. Had she looked back, she would have seen a confused Clarke trying to catch up with her to no avail.

 

 

____________________________________

 

 

She had two more classes with Clarke that day. She could see Clarke wanted to say something but kept herself from doing so. Lexa thought it was for the best.

As the final bell rang, Lexa stuffed her books in her bag and made her way outside. There was Clarke, leaning against the wall, her bag thrown over her left shoulder. It was too late to run away as the girl had already spotted her and was soon standing in front of her.

"Lexa ! Hey ! I was looking for you !"

**_Looking for me ? What for ? She's probably going to tell me she doesn’t want anything to do with me anymore...that’s what always happens._ **

"Why did you run out of the bathroom earlier ?" she asked.

Before Lexa could formulate a reply, not that she would have responded anyway, Clarke continued speaking.

"Look, I know what it’s like to be the new kid. Been there, done that" she laughed lightly but seeing no reaction from Lexa, she stopped "What I meant to say is that I genuinely want to help you. It can’t be easy not knowing anyone here."

Lexa was so confused. _**What kind of game was Clarke playing ?**_ She wanted to trust her so badly but couldn’t bring herself to do it. _**Head over heart.**_ She repeated the mantra her father kept saying.

Clarke reached out for Lexa’s hand but the brunette pulled away. A mix of emotions passed through Clarke’s eyes. Disappointment, confusion, **_… hurt ? No, it couldn’t be. Why would someone like Clarke care for someone like me_** , Lexa thought bitterly before walking away once again, ignoring Clarke calling after her.

 

<<<>>>

 

Lexa had left, again. Clarke was left wondering if she said anything to upset the brunette.  
_**Why do I care so much about this girl ?**_

She saw Finn approaching her and groaned in frustration. She was so not in the mood for this.

"Hey, babe ! Want a ride ?" he said, throwing her a smile that was probably meant to be charming.

Clarke was having none of it.

"One, I’m not your ‘babe’ and two, I have my own car, thank you very much." She replied coldly.

"Oh come on, babe, don’t be like that !" he said while roughly grabbing her wrist and pulling her into him.

"Let go of me, you asshole !" she yelled while trying to slip out of the firm grip he now had on her upper arms.

"You know we’d be good together. Just give me a chance, you won’t regret it." he said, throwing her a wink that made her feel as though she was going to throw up.

She closed her eyes as he got dangerously close to her face. Suddenly his hands disappeared from her arms. She cautiously opened her eyes and was shocked to see Lexa standing over Finn, the latter holding his nose in pain.

 

<<<>>>

 

Lexa was almost out of the parking lot when she heard the commotion. She was about to just keep walking when the sound of Clarke’s voice made her stop dead in her tracks.

"Let go of me, you asshole !"

Her head was screaming at her to keep walking away but her body seemed to have a mind of its own. She turned around and ran towards the sound. There she found Clarke, her eyes closed, violently held by a boy who was getting closer and closer to her face.

_She lost it._

She gripped the collar of his jacket and pulled him away from Clarke, then punched him in the nose, effectively breaking it.

"You bitch ! You fucking broke my nose ! What the fuck is wrong with you ?!" he screamed. He then got up and lunged forward in an attempt to punch Lexa. She swiftly blocked his fist and kicked him in the ribs, making him fall backwards.  
Just as Finn was about to retaliate, Kane sternly interrupted the fight.

"What is going on here ? Violence will not be tolerated here. The three of you, in my office, now."

Only then did Lexa realize what she had done and the sea of students who had come to see what was going on.

 ** _Why the fuck did I just do that ? How stupid am I ?_** She had spent so much time building up walls to have a girl break them down in less than a day.

She felt a soft hand slip into her own and a thumb gently brush her bloodied knuckles. She looked to her side and saw blue eyes looking back at her. Clarke looked a bit shocked but she was smiling warmly at her nonetheless, mouthing a _‘thank you’_ and Lexa thought that maybe, maybe it had been worth it after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 2 :) Hope you'll like it !

As the three of them headed to the principal's office, hers and Clarke's hands still linked together, Lexa could feel people looking at her and could hear them whispering. As if sensing her discomfort, Clarke squeezed her hand and smiled at her. Lexa felt herself wanting to know everything about the blonde and this thought scared her. She was not supposed to get close to someone but how could she resist when Clarke looked at her like that?

The principal let them go with only a warning and soon Clarke and Lexa were heading back to the parking lot.

"You want a ride home?" Clarke asked.

 ** _I should really decline_** , Lexa thought, but apparently her body didn't agree with her brain because she found herself nodding, accepting the blonde's offer.

The car ride was pretty silent. The only words exchanged being Lexa giving Clarke directions to get to her house.

"Thank you" Lexa said quietly when Clarke parked in front of her house.

"You're welcome. What are friends for?"

_**Friends.** _

There it was. That word. Lexa couldn't hold it in anymore. She had to ask.

"Why do you care?" she meant to say it louder but it only came out as a whisper.

"Why- What do you mean, Lex?"

Taken aback by the nickname, Lexa didn't respond right away. Clarke got out of the car and made her way towards Lexa.

"Lex, are you okay?" Clarke asked worriedly.

"Why do you care ?" she repeated, louder this time.

"I care because you're my friend." she replied confidently.

"but...why?" Lexa couldn't wrap her mind around the idea that someone as perfect as Clarke would ever want to be anywhere near her. All she does is hurt the people she cares about. Surely, Clarke doesn't want that.

"Because....I know we haven't known each other for a long time and this might seem weird to you and I don't want to sound like a creep- oh my god you're gonna think I'm weird but I swear I'm not, it's just that-"

"Clarke you're rambling" Lexa interrupted highly amused

"Oh ! Sorry, I always do that when I'm nervous." Clarke said, letting out a nervous laugh.

_**Nervous? Why was Clarke nervous?** _

"What I'm trying to say is that I like you and I honestly think we could be great friends if you want to, that is" Clarke finally said.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Clarke was having an internal struggle of her own. **_Okay Clarke why are you so damn nervous? It's just a girl. A really fucking pretty and sweet girl who keeps doing that cute thing where she tilts her head on the side like a confused puppy- OK focus, Clarke_**.

"What I'm trying to say is that I like you" **_Wow, way to be obvious Clarke_** , she thought to herself "and I honestly think we could be friends if you want to, that is"

Clarke honestly felt like burying herself 600 feet under the ground and never come back to the surface. She had just made the biggest fool out of herself in front of the girl she has a crush on and there was no way Lexa would ever want to be her friend after this whole-

"I'd love to." Lexa interrupted Clarke's train of thought.

"Yeah?" Clarke asked, hope evident in her voice.

"Yeah."

Clarke stepped closer and wrapped her arms around Lexa's shoulders. She felt the girl go stiff in her arms and was about to pull back when she felt arms wrap around her waist. She let herself enjoy the moment for a few more seconds before pulling away.

"Sooo, see you tomorrow?" Clarke asked.

"Sure. See you tomorrow."

Lexa's lips curved in a small smile that Clarke liked to think was reserved for her and only her.

Maybe it was.

With that she climbed back inside her car and after making sure Lexa got inside her house safely, she drove away feeling happier than she had in years.

 

 

_____________________________________

 

 

The next few days, Lexa would meet Clarke at school and they would head to their first period together. Lexa still didn't understand what pushed Clarke to stay with her but she decided not to think too much about it for now and to just enjoy the blonde's company. She was aware that Clarke was quite popular and she knew she was getting strange looks from people whenever she walked with Clarke through the hallways but the squeeze of Clarke's hand in hers quickly dissipated any feeling of unease she might have felt.

Today, Lexa was walking through the school with a small bounce in her step. She had not been that happy in a long time and she couldn't wait to see Clarke again.

She suddenly felt a harsh pain in her side as she was pushed against a locker. She looked up to see Finn and Murphy, smirking at her.

"You better stay away from Clarke, you freak ! She's mine !" Finn said as Murphy snickered behind him.

Everyone was now watching the scene unfold and Lexa felt her throat constrict. Her vision was blurring as tears formed in her eyes.

"Not so badass now , are you?" Finn spat before walking away, followed by his friends.

Lexa wanted to jump at him but knew it would only get her in trouble so she remained where she was on the ground. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of blond hair in the crowd and next thing she knew, Clarke was pushing people aside to get to her.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

"Lexa ! Are you okay ?!" Clarke asked, her voice laced with concern.

All Lexa could manage was a simple nod, clearly still too shaken up to talk.

Clarke helped her get up and escorted her outside, not before throwing a glare at all the people around who just stood there without doing anything. **_What a bunch of cowards_** , she thought.

She sat Lexa on the grass outside the building and took her hands in her own.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. I'm used to it anyways..." Lexa replied, looking away.

"Lexa....has this happened before? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Look, it's only the first time that it happened here. I don't want to unload all my problems on you. I don't even know why you insist on being my friend. I'll only be a burden for you." the brunette said, still not meeting her eyes, tears now falling freely.

At this the blonde's heart broke. **_How could Lexa not see how amazing she is?_** She moved her hands to cup the brunette's cheeks, making her look at her, brushing her tears away with her thumbs.

"Oh, Lexa no, you are not a burden for me. I'm your friend because I want to be. Do you know why? Because you are amazing." she said trying to convey what she feels through her words.

"You barely know me ! You will leave me like everybody else once you realize what a fuck up I am !"

"Lexa, you are a beautiful person and I need you to see that. If I have to tell you this everyday, then I will. I'm not going anywhere"

"You can't promise that." she said through fresh tears.

"No, you're right, I can't but I can promise you that I will never leave intentionally. I will be here for as long as you want me to"

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

"....I will be here for as long as you want me to"

This time Lexa didn't try to fight it and let Clarke's soothing words comfort her. She gave up this internal fight against her head and let herself sink into the feeling of Clarke's presence.

After a few minutes, Clarke got up and outstretched her hand for Lexa. She took it and was surprised when Clarke didn't direct them back inside the school but started walking around it, leading them in front of a staircase.

"Uh...Clarke...where are you going?"

"Do you trust me, Lexa?"

"Yes." Lexa herself was surprised by how sure she was of this. She trusted Clarke Griffin with her life and didn't know what to make of it.

 

 

______________________________________

 

 

 

_**This was beautiful.** _

They were on the rooftop of the school. Lexa was pretty sure students were not allowed to be here but she couldn't find it in herself to care.

From up here, she had a completely different perspective of the school's surroundings. Everything seemed so much more peaceful without all the students around.

Clarke went to sit and patted the space next to her for Lexa to sit as well, which she did.

"I always go up here when I need to be alone" she heard Clarke say.

"Oh...I can go if you want to be alone right now, I underst-"

"Lexa." Clarke interrupted, chuckling "I brought you here, didn't I ?" she said, raising an eyebrow, clearly amused.

"Oh...umm yeah right..." Lexa could feel the heat creeping up her neck and slowly making its way to her cheeks.

"You're cute when you're blushing" Clarke blurted out.

This only managed to make Lexa blush even more. She didn't know what to answer so she didn't say anything.

The next 30 minutes were spent in a comfortable silence as both girls enjoyed the faint noises of birds chirping and of the wind smacking against the trees. It's only when it started raining a few minutes later that they decided to head back inside. They ran towards the school, laughing, as the rain soaked their clothes.

Their little bubble of happiness didn't last long because as soon as they got inside, the bell rang and students started filling the hallways, loud chatter now resonating through the school. Lexa saw Raven and Octavia approaching, both a frown on their faces and tried to quickly make her escape but Clarke grabbed her hand, keeping her from leaving.

"Umm Clarke, can we talk, please?" Raven asked, eyeing Lexa suspiciously, clearly implying that she wanted to speak privately, meaning without Lexa around.

Clarke still didn't let go of Lexa's hand.

"It's fine Clarke, I have to do something anyway" Lexa whispered barely audibly.

They both knew it was a lie and Clarke was about to argue but Lexa silenced her with a look. Clarke reluctantly let go of her hand and turned to face her friends as Lexa headed in the opposite direction. 

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

"Ok, what is it you wanted to talk about?" Clarke asked, annoyed at having to leave Lexa's side.

"Since when are you friends with the freak?" Raven asked.

"W-what?" Clarke couldn't believe her ears. "What the fuck did you just call her ?!?" Clarke was fuming at this point. _**How dare she talk about Lexa like that?**_

"C'mon Clarke, you're just gonna ruin your reputation if you keep doing this." Octavia chimed in.

"Ruin my- Are you two for real?!" she asked angrily.

"Clarke, face it, this girl is weird. We can't risk being associated with her" Raven tried to convince Clarke but only managed to upset her more.

"You know what, if this is the way you think, it's YOU that I don't want to be associated with. Don't even bother texting me. Unless you two get your head out of your ass, do not talk to me"

With that, she turned around and started looking for Lexa.

She couldn't believe it. Her own friends. How had she been so blind not to notice the kind of people they were? She had been hanging out with the wrong crowd and was about to change that.

Clarke had always been a very caring person. She always saw the good in people and was very likely to give people a second chance but this time, she felt like her friends- _ex friends_ , she corrected herself- didn't deserve it. At least not now.

She couldn't care less about popularity. It was a superficial thing and in the end, when you're thrown in adulthood, it doesn't matter how popular you were in high school. What truly matters is the kind of person you are and the positive changes you can make. She couldn't understand what it was about popularity that drove some people to act like complete assholes but she was not one of those people and she refused to let Lexa be the victim of people who are too full of themselves to realize how shitty they are being.

She made the decision that day that no matter what, she was never going to leave Lexa's side because if someone deserved to be happy in this world, it would be Lexa.


	3. Chapter 3

 A week had passed since Clarke cut all ties with her old group of friends. She would spend lunch breaks with Lexa on the school's rooftop which had become their spot and they would talk and get to know each other. Clarke did most of the talking but Lexa was slowly opening up, to Clarke's delight. They always kept the conversation pretty light, talking about the things they liked doing or about their dreams and hopes.

Lexa had shyly admitted that she wanted to become a writer. Somehow, Clarke thought it was incredibly fitting for the girl. She was curious to read some of Lexa's work but decided not to push it. She would wait for Lexa to decide if she felt comfortable enough to show it to her.

Lexa learned that Clarke wanted to be an artist despite her mom wishing for her to follow in her footsteps by studying medicine. Clarke promised Lexa to show her some of her art someday.

_"It's not that good though" she had said._

_"I'm sure it's amazing, Clarke" Lexa had replied softly._

Lexa had noticed the sudden distance between Clarke and her friends but decided not to mention it. She didn't want to ruin this newfound peace she felt with Clarke.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

Clarke pretended not to see Raven staring at her during class and focused on the brunette sitting next to her. Mr. Pike had asked them to solve a few math problems- he was probably too lazy to teach class- and Clarke couldn't help but stare at Lexa, who looked incredibly focused on the task at hand.

Clarke had noticed a few things over the past week. Like how Lexa would frown whenever she didn't understand something or how her eyes would light up when she got an answer right. _**She is just so fucking adorable.**_

Pike's voice pulled her out of her daydreaming

"Miss Griffin, if you spent as much time working as you do looking at your classmates, maybe you wouldn't have such bad grades !

"For some reason, Pike seemed to really hate Clarke. She looked down at her papersheets mumbling something that only Lexa could hear.

_"Fucking asshole..."_

Lexa let out a chuckle.

"You think it's funny, Miss Woods?!" Pike asked.

"You won't be laughing tonight in detention"

Lexa's eyes widened and she was frozen in her seat. Raven and Finn on the other hand, looked overjoyed.

"Oh come on, she hasn't done anything, I'll go in detention if you want but leave her alone." Clarke said.

"Clarke ! What are you doing?!" Lexa whispered loudly.

That's when Finn decided to speak up. **_Fucking hell_** , Clarke thought.

"Yeah, Clarke, listen to the freak. She's not worth going to detention for" he laughed.

Clarke saw red. She got up from her seat so she could face him

"What the fuck did you just say?!" She yelled.

Lexa tugged at her sleeve, trying to get her to sit back down, not wanting the blonde to get in trouble because of her.

"Clarke, let it go. It's not worth it" she pleaded.

"Of course it is ! I won't let him disrespect you like that"

"Please, Clarke, just sit back down. Please?"

"You should listen to her, Miss Griffin. Miss Woods, detention after school, two hours."

Clarke couldn't help it. She knew Lexa had just told her to stay out of it but the urge to defend her was too strong.

"So Lexa gets detention for laughing but Finn gets away with being a disrespectful asshole?! That's one hell of a logical decision you've just made here !!" She said as sarcastically as she could.

"If you don't agree with my decision, you can join your little friend in detention." Pike shot back, clearly implying that it wasn't a suggestion.

Just as Pike ended his sentence, the bell rang and the students started packing their stuff. Lexa looked at Clarke, guilt written all over her face.

"Clarke, I'm so sorry..."

"For what? Lexa they were wrong. Of course I was going to defend you. I don't regret it at all."

"But you just got detention because of me..."

"I got detention because Finn and Pike are assholes. And also because the rest of the class are cowards who chose to sit there and say nothing instead of doing the right thing"

"But-"

"Unless you were about to thank me, I do not want to hear the end of this sentence." Clarke interrupted, a grin plastered on her face.

Lexa laughed quietly. Clarke couldn't get enough of that sound and was going to try to make Lexa laugh as often as possible just so she could hear it again.

"Thank you, Clarke." Lexa said softly.

"You're welcome." Clarke replied cheekily before grabbing Lexa's hand and pulling her through the hallways, once again ignoring the confused look she got from Raven who had been watching the exchange from afar.

 

 

 
    
    
      
    
      
    
    ___________________________  
    
      
    
      
    
      
    
      
    
    **  
    ****Raven's POV  
    
      
    
    **

 

 _It had been a week_. A week that Clarke refused to talk to them and all of that because of the new girl. _**What was even special about her?**_ Raven thought. _**She's just weird.**_

Ever since Lexa had arrived here, Raven hadn't heard the girl utter a single word. Raven hadn't made much of an effort to go talk to the girl but so far, everytime she did, all she got in response was complete silence.

Clarke, Octavia, Bellamy and herself had always been a tight group of friends and that Lexa girl just had to come and mess it all up. Whatever Clarke saw in that girl, Raven was sure it would fade away soon and their friend would be back to her normal self in no time.

She went to sit next to Octavia in the cafeteria, looking around for Clarke but once again, she was nowhere to be seen. She heard Octavia sigh and watched as she let her head drop into her hands, elbows resting on the table.

"Do you think Clarke will come back soon? It just doesn't feel the same without her, you know?" Octavia said sadly.

"I know, but don't worry, she'll come to her senses soon enough."

"I hope so..."

"Talking about the princess again?" Bellamy slumped in the seat next to Raven "I thought she would be back with us by now." He frowned upon noticing the blonde's absence.

Bellamy was Octavia's brother. He was a year older than Octavia who was still in her junior year. He had had a crush on Clarke for years but she kept rejecting him, claiming she saw him more as a brother than anything. He never gave up though and each year, he would try his luck again, waiting for Clarke to change her mind. Some may say he was annoying and delusional but he preferred to call it determination.

"Well, so did we but it looks like she's found a new best friend" Octavia spoke bitterly.

"C'mon O, you know we're irreplaceable. Clarke's just confused right now. There's no way she would choose that girl over us. She's not that dumb." Bellamy tried to reassure her, confident that the blonde would come back.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Octavia agreed.

"Anyways, how was soccer practice, O?" Raven decided to change the subject.

"It was good. We're training really hard for the next competition...I just- we are always so close to beating Azgeda but they're just better than us...I hope the try outs next month will help us find new players that could help us win at least one game against them."

"Relax, O, with you as the new team captain, our school will obviously win. We don't need new players when we got you." Raven cheerfully said.

"Thanks but I still think we can be much better." Octavia said.

 

 

_____________________________

 

 

They were sitting in detention and the only people there were the teacher and a few students who thought it would be fun to put glue on Miss Queen's chair. Guess the joke's on them cause she didn't even sit on it. That woman must have a sixth sense or something.

Apart from the uneasiness of being surrounded by people she would never hang out with in a million years, it wasn't so bad. Lexa knew the reason for it was the girl sitting next to her, doodling something in her sketchbook. Lexa couldn't see what it was but she enjoyed watching her friend draw. Occasionally, Clarke would glance up from her paper and they would smile at each other before Clarke set back to work.

The two hours passed rather quickly and soon they were standing in the parking lot, next to Clarke's car.

"So, do you want to maybe come over? We could watch a movie?" Clarke asked hesitantly.

"Ummm...."

"You don't have to if you don't want to. I understand." Clarke said in a small voice, doing a poor job at hiding her disappointment.

"I want to, I really do. It's just that....We have a test coming up and I still need to catch up on the lessons I missed in the beginning of the year..."

"Oh...ok. Well, see you tomorrow then.."

Lexa couldn't bear the idea of seeing her friend upset so she spoke up, the blonde's back now facing her.

"Clarke, wait !"

Clarke's head snapped up and she turned around.

"I could really use some tutoring. Do you think you could-"

"-Yes !" Clarke cut her off, a bit too eagerly. She cleared her throat "I mean, yes, I'd love to." Clarke awkwardly added.

Lexa let out a small chuckle.

"Thank you. Could we start now?

"Sure. My place or yours?" Clarke asked.

"Yours." Lexa quickly replied. She knew that if her family met Clarke she would have to tell her things which she was not comfortable with revealing yet. Yes, she had gotten closer to Clarke recently but she needed a bit more time until she could truly open up to her.

If Clarke noticed how quickly she answered, she opted not to comment on it which Lexa was thankful for.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

They had now been studying for hours and both were growing pretty restless. They were both sitting on Clarke's bed, their backs leaning against the headboard, their shoulders and legs touching.

Clarke saw Lexa yawn from the corner of her eye and decided to put an end to their study session.

"Maybe we should stop here, don't you think?"

"Yeah" Lexa said mid-yawn. Clarke thought it was the most adorable thing she had ever seen.

She tried to grab her phone, on her bedside table next to Lexa, without landing on Lexa herself. Needless to say she failed and ended up pressed against Lexa's thighs. _**Oh. My. God.**_

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

"Is this what you were trying to reach?" Lexa asked while handing her the phone, highly amused and also a little bit flustered to have the other girl so close to her.

"Yeah....thanks" Clarke bashfully replied. Lexa didn't think it was possible for Clarke's cheeks to get any more red than they already were.

"Don't look so smug." Clarke told her before checking the time on her phone.

"Shit !" Clarke exclaimed.

"What is it?" Lexa asked concerned.

"It's already 10.30 PM"

"Wow, I didn't realise it was this late. I'm going to go."

"Don't be silly, you can stay here for the night. It's late and we don't have school tomorrow."

"But...what about your parents?"

"My dad is on a business trip and my mom is almost never home. You know, being the head surgeon and all....she takes a lot of nightshifts. Doesn't leave much time for family time."

Lexa placed her hand on top of Clarke's, trying to offer some comfort.

"I'm sorry, Clarke." Clarke turned her hand in Lexa's so she could hold it properly. Lexa gave it a light squeeze.

"Don't be. It's not your fault. Besides I got used to it. Now, let's get you something to sleep in. There should be something in there that fits you." She said, getting up and looking through her wardrobe.

Lexa knew Clarke was trying to change the topic and she was going to let her. If the girl didn't want to speak about it, Lexa would respect her wishes. _**She does so much for me, that's the least I can do for her**_ , she thought.

 

 

_______________________________

 

 

"You can take the bed, I'll take the couch" Clarke said coming back with a tank top and pajama shorts.

"Clarke, I'm not going to take the bed. I'll sleep on the couch."

"Lexa, I'm not letting you sleep on the couch."

"Well, I'm not going to sleep in the bed so you might as well take it." Lexa stubbornly said.

"Lexa."

"Clarke."

They stayed like that for a little while, just staring at each other, arms crossed over their chests.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Clarke knew she wouldn't win this argument and tried offering an alternative.

"Well, there's enough space on the bed for the both of us. We can share, unless you're not comfortable with it, of course." She shyly said.

Lexa looked hesitant but eventually nodded her head in agreement.

After each taking a shower, they brushed their teeth side by side, playfully bumping into each other with their hips a few times and then took turns changing in the bathroom before slipping under the covers.

Lexa was stiff as a plank next to her and Clarke would have thought she wasn't breathing if it wasn't for the rise and fall of Lexa's chest and the slightly uneven breathing she could hear escaping the brunette's lips.

"You know, you can relax a bit. It's probably not comfortable in the position you're in" Clarke told her.

At this Lexa relaxed but was still not touching Clarke. She turned on her side to face Lexa and the girl did the same.

For a minute they stayed silent, just looking into each other's eyes. In the dark, Clarke wasn't able to see this shade of green that she loved so much but Lexa still looked beautiful. The light coming from the window slightly illuminated her face.

"Thank you for being my friend." Clarke finally said.

"Me? Clarke I'm the one who should be thanking you. If it wasn't for you, I would be alone. I know that I'm not always easy to be around but I hope one day I can make you as happy as you make me." she whispered the end.

"You already do." Clarke whispered back and with that, they both let sleep take them, the promise of many more days spent by each other's side lingering between them.


	4. Chapter 4

 

 

 

Clarke woke up the next morning and tried to move but a weight was pressed against her body.

_Lexa._

Lexa had one leg thrown over Clarke's. Her right arm was wrapped around Clarke's waist and her head was resting on Clarke's shoulder.

 ** _Lexa's a cuddler_**. The thought put a smile on Clarke's face.

She wanted to avoid any awkwardness that was probably going to occur when Lexa wakes up so she tried getting out of bed. However, when she tried to slip out of Lexa's arms, the girl tightened her hold and buried her face in the crook of Clarke's neck. Clarke was swooning over how endearing it was.

Lexa looked peaceful when she slept.

She was usually good at hiding her emotions but one look into her eyes told Clarke everything she needed to know. _**I guess they're right when they say the eyes are the mirror to somebody's soul**_ , Clarke thought.

Clarke knew Lexa had been through more than just bullying, she could see it. It was written in the way she carried herself. Like someone to whom life has been merciless. And yet, Lexa kept going. She was still fighting. She was still this strong and beautiful girl who never gave up and who accepted everything life threw at her. She was hard-working and in Clarke's eyes, extremely brave. Clarke wished she could be as brave as Lexa.

She wanted to know what the girl had been through but Clarke knew her boundaries and wouldn't push Lexa to speak about such personal things. She knew they weren't there yet. She could only hope one day, Lexa would trust her enough to completely let her in.

She knew Lexa could take care of herself but Clarke wanted to be able to do more for the brunette. So much more.

Lexa was the single most amazing person Clarke had ever met and she'll be damned if she didn't do everything she could to put a smile on the girl's face every chance she got. Or if she didn't try to make her forget about whatever or whoever is still haunting the brunette to this day.

She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice the brunette stirring in her arms.

Lexa suddenly retracted her arms and that's when Clarke realized the girl was awake.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Lexa slowly woke up but she felt too tired to open her eyes. She readjusted her head on the soft pillow and try to fall back aslee- **_wait_**. This did not feel like her pillow.

She slowly cracked an eye open and realized the reason why was because she was not in her room and what she mistook for a pillow were actually boobs. _Clarke's boobs_.

She retracted her arms as quickly as possible and jumped away from Clarke, suddenly wide awake.

"Clarke! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that. I swear I usually don't-"

She stopped talking when she heard more than saw Clarke laugh.

"Why are you laughing?" She asked, blushing due to the embarrassment of the position she woke up in.

"It's just, you're really cute" Clarke said simply "It's fine, Lexa. We're friends. Besides it was nice so why don't you get your cute self back over here" she added opening her arms so Lexa could lay back down.

Clarke looked at her expectantly so Lexa slipped back into her arms and let herself drift back to sleep.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

The next time she woke up, it was to an empty bed. She looked around for Clarke and spotted her on a chair, a sketchpad in her hands, drawing something Lexa couldn't identify.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty" Clarke said without looking up from her drawing.

"How long have you been awake?" Lexa asked.

"About an hour"

"You should have woken me up"

"You looked peaceful. Didn't want to interrupt your sleep" Clarke replied absentmindedly, adding the last touches to her drawing before closing her sketchpad.

"What were you drawing?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Clarke teased while placing the sketchbook away. Lexa understood it meant she wasn't going to show it to her. Although she really wanted to see Clarke's art, she would wait until Clarke decided to show it to her.

"You hungry?" Clarke asked.

Lexa was starving but she didn't want to intrude. She had already spent the night, she wasn't going to steal their food on top of it.

"No, it's fine. I'll eat home"

Right at this moment, her stomach decided to grumble.

 _ **Traitor,**_ Lexa thought, glaring at her stomach.

Clarke let out a loud laugh and Lexa ducked her head with a blush.

"C'mon, dork. Let's get some food" she said, shaking her head at how polite Lexa was.

They made their way downstairs and were hit by the smell of pancakes. Clarke frowned. Her mother wasn't supposed to be back before noon.

"Mom?" She called out.

"In the kitchen !" Her mom yelled out.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

They entered the kitchen and Clarke put a few pancakes on a plate while Lexa stood awkwardly in the corner, willing herself to become invisible.

She hated interacting with strangers. She wasn't good at it. To make matter worse, this was Clarke's mom. What was she supposed to do? Was she supposed to introduce herself or just pretend she wasn't there?

It seems like the decision was made for her because Clarke's mom decided to engage a conversation upon noticing Lexa.

"So who's your friend, Clarke?"

"Oh, mom, that's-"

"I'm Lexa, nice to meet you Mrs.Griffin" Lexa interrupted, offering her hand to shake.

"Nice to meet you as well, Lexa. And please, call me Abby." Abby said while shaking her hand.

Lexa nodded even though she knew she wouldn't do it. She had never felt comfortable with calling parents by their first name.

"Clarke, since you're downstairs why don't you set the table. I'll be out with the rest of the pancakes in a few minutes. That way I can get to know Lexa a little better" Abby said "not that I really need to, considering how much you've mentioned her in the past few days" she added teasingly.

At this Clarke shot a glare at her mom and dragged a confused Lexa out of the kitchen.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

A few minutes later, Abby joined them and before she could drown Lexa in questions, Clarke spoke up.

"I thought you weren't going to be home for a few more hours"

"I know. I decided to take a day off"

Now, this was suspicious. Her mother had never taken a day off. Clarke looked at her mother disbelievingly.

"What?" Abby asked, getting nervous. Her mother had always been a bad liar and Clarke knew she was hiding something. As if on cue, the doorbell rang.

"Why don't you go open it, sweetheart?" Abby said, barely able to conceal her excitement.

 ** _What the hell is happening?_** Clarke thought as she walked towards the door. She turned the doorknob, opened the door and gasped.

"DAD !!" She threw herself at him, envelopping him in a bone-crushing hug.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Lexa had been eating quietly, completely unaware of the situation when the doorbell rang. Clarke went to open it and soon, she was wrapped in a hug by a man who, Lexa realized, was her father.

As if meeting Clarke's mother wasn't stressful enough, now she had to introduce herself to Clarke's father as well.

She let the three of them catch up for a few minutes. She watched Clarke laugh as she told something to her father. She was too far to hear but whatever it was, Lexa knew better than to interrupt. For now she just rejoiced at how happy the blonde looked.

When the conversation seemed to die down a bit, she made her way over.

"Hi, Mr.Griffin. I'm Lexa uh...I'm Clarke's friend" She said while once again outstretching her hand.

Jake looked at her hand for a few seconds, raising an eyebrow and Lexa started to retract her hand, afraid her interruption had been unwelcome, when Jake grabbed her and pulled her into a hug.

She was frozen. It took her a few seconds to realize what was going on and she awkwardly reciprocated the hug, glaring at Clarke who was failing miserably at muffling her laughter.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Clarke couldn't help but laugh. The sight of Lexa frozen in her spot, awkwardly hugging her father back, was hilarious.

When they separated, her father turned towards her and mouthed _'she's pretty'_   then winked at her. Clarke rolled her eyes at her father but couldn't help the smile that took over her face. She had really missed her father.

He had been gone for a few months and sure, they talked on the phone everyday but it wasn't the same as spending time with him.

The fact that she got to introduce Lexa to him was just a big bonus.

Lexa had become a very important part of her life and Clarke wanted her father to know the girl who made her feel happier than she had in years.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

They all headed towards the living room. Jake sat in the armchair while Abby went back in the kitchen to clean up the breakfast that had been left almost untouched. Not that anyone cared. Jake was home and that was all that mattered.

After speaking for a few minutes, Lexa got a phone call and excused herself before she went upstairs to answer the call.

"Mom?"

"Lexa ! Where are you?! I tried calling you a million times already !"

 _ **Shit**_. She had forgotten to tell her mother she was staying at a friend's last night...

Indeed, when she looked at her phone, she saw the 13 missed calls from her mom.

She put the phone back to her ear.

"I'm sorry, mom. I'm at a friend's. I forgot to warn you" she said apologetically.

"Oh....well, it's fine. Just don't forget to do it next time"

"I won't, don't worry"

Her mother sounded surprised. Lexa couldn't blame her, really. It had been a long time since she had last hung out with friends.

"I'm really happy you're making friends again, Lex" her mother softly said.

"Yeah, me too"

"You should bring your friend over one day. I would like to meet them"

"Yeah, maybe I will. Bye, mom"

"Bye, Lex" And with that, she hung up. She sighed and went back to the living room.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

"Hey, I think I should head back home" Lexa said, catching the attention of the three other people present in the room.

"Really?" Clarke whined. She didn't want the brunette to leave just yet.

"I don't want to intrude on your family time"

At this very moment, Clarke hated how polite Lexa was.

"You don't, it's fine. You can stay" Clarke ignored the curious looks she got from her parents.

"I know but still. I'll see you on Monday, ok?"

Clarke wanted to argue but relented.

"Yeah...Let me drive you back at least."

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

Clarke pulled up in Lexa's driveway and they got out of the car. She walked Lexa to the door and stopped her before she could open it. Lexa looked at her questioningly.

"I just wanted to thank you again for everything. Seeing my dad was amazing and you being there made it even better, so thank you. I'm really glad you got to meet him"

"Me too. He seems like a great man"

Clarke nodded.

"He is"

Lexa could sense the pride in Clarke's voice. It was obvious Clarke loved her father very much and from the short interaction she had with him, Lexa could understand why.

There was just something about the man that made you feel at ease immediately. He was very affectionate and in Lexa's mind, everything a father should be. Everything her own biological father wasn't.

A comfortable silence fell over them until Lexa broke it.

"So, I'll see you on Monday?"

"Yeah. Bye, Lex" Clarke replied.

She stepped closer to Lexa, got on her toes and pressed a soft kiss to Lexa's cheek before turning around and getting back into her car.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Lexa watched the car drive away, astonished. She slowly brought her hand up to her cheek, brushing her fingers on the spot Clarke's lips had been pressed against mere seconds ago.

She couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the evening, attracting the attention of her family.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

After arriving back home, Clarke sat on the swing chair that has been hanging on their porch since she was a child.

She was soon joined by her father. He put an arm around her shoulders and she buried her face in his chest.

"I missed you, dad"

"I missed you too, kiddo." He kissed the crown of her head. There was a small moment of silence before Jake spoke again.

"So this was the Lexa you kept telling me about?" It was more an affirmation than a question.

Clarke had told her father everything that happened the past few weeks and yes, maybe she had mentioned Lexa a lot but she really couldn't help it.

"Yeah, that was her" Clarke dreamily said.

"She seems great"

"She is. She really is"

"You like her" Once again, it wasn't a question.

"Of course I do, she's my friend"

They both knew Clarke had understood the implication behind her father's words and was just playing dumb.

"You know what I meant, Clarke" her father softly said, probing his daughter for information though his tone indicated that Clarke didn't have to answer if she didn't want to.

It wasn't a secret to her parents that Clarke was bisexual. She had come out to them about a year ago. Her father had reacted so well, he even cooked her a cake with the colors of the bisexual flag. Her mother had been a bit more reticent about it at first but eventually she came around.

"It doesn't matter. What she needs is a friend. Besides, she doesn't see me like that"

Her father pulled Clarke away from his chest so he could look at her in the eyes.

"Clarke, this girl looks at you like you hung the moon and stars"

"She doesn't" Clarke denied with a blush.

"Trust me, she does" he said confidently.

"I can't risk it. Our friendship is too valuable to me" she sighed, placing her head back on her father's chest.

"I get it, but I still think you shouldn't shut down the idea of more with her" he advised her "That girl obviously makes you happy. Whatever you choose to do, don't let her go"

"That's the last thing I want to do"


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, sorry for taking so long to update. It was a bit crazy with all of my exams but to make up for it, this chapter is a bit longer than usual :) Hope you'll like it !

 

 

"Yo, what's up with that smile?" Anya asked as she plopped down next to Lexa, on her bed.

"I don't know what you're talking about"

"Sure you don't" Anya shot back, rolling her eyes "I haven't seen you smile like that since Co- since last year" she clumsily corrected. Lexa was grateful for it "and you're telling me that there isn't a reason behind it?"

"Ugh, fine... I met this girl and-"

"Lexa..." Anya cut her off, disapprovingly "are you sure it's a good idea? After what happened last time?"

"Oh no, it's not like that ! Besides, Clarke wouldn't do something like that" Lexa was quick to deny.

"How can you know that?"

Silence filled the room , Lexa seemingly deep in thought, and Anya decided to continue speaking.

"Look, sis, all I'm saying is you should be careful. I can tell you're falling for that girl already"

"I'm not" Lexa mumbled.

"There's no need to lie to me. I know you. And that smile right here" she said referring to the smile Lexa had been sporting all evening "is something I didn't think I'd see again anytime soon. I love to see you happy but I don't want another girl to take advantage of your kindness... I don't want to see you being hurt again..." Anya placed a hand on Lexa's shoulder.

"Thank you, Anya. But I swear Clarke isn't like that. She's just...she's beautiful and kind and she notices the little things, you know? The things that truly matter. And I feel safe around her, like....like I can finally be myself and I know she wouldn't judge me or make fun of me. She's....she's special" Lexa finished her speech, a light pink coloring her cheeks as she realized she had said more than she intended to.

"Well damn, you got it bad" Anya teased her, poking Lexa's side.

"Shut up !" Lexa laughed as she threw a pillow at her older sister.

It ended in a wrestling match which lasted a few minutes until their mom's voice rang through the house.

"If you break any furniture, you'll regret it !"

They knew those were not real threats. Indra was all bark but no bite. She might come off as scary but the people who truly know her know that she is one of the most kindhearted women there is.

They sat back down on the bed and Anya put an arm around Lexa. The latter rested her head on her sister's shoulder.

"I trust your judgment but I would like to meet this girl who managed to break down your walls and who turned you into this lovesick gay puppy" Anya declared.

"Continue like this and you won't ever get to meet her" Lexa grumpily countered.

Anya laughed then turned serious again.

"Seriously though, are you sure about this Clarke girl?"

"I am" Lexa affirmed without a shadow of a doubt.

Anya nodded, accepting the answer but knew she still needed to see it for herself. Anya might seem cold to a lot of people but she was in fact extremely caring and she would do anything to protect her little sister.

"Lexa?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you, you know that, right?"

"I know. I love you too"

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

"I was thinking we could maybe do something this weekend, like go to the movies or something, what do you think?" Clarke suggested.

Upon receiving no answer, Clarke turned around and saw that Lexa had stopped walking and was now looking at the soccer field where the team was currently practising.

"Lex?"

"Yeah?" Lexa acknowledged, eyes still scanning the girls running down the field.

"What is it?"

"I just...I miss playing soccer..." Lexa quietly admitted.

"You play soccer?"

"I used to. I was part of the team at my old school and I didn't get the chance to play again since then"

"Well, the try outs are in a couple weeks. Maybe you could be part of our soccer team"

"Oh no...I probably shouldn't. I'm not that good"

"Surely you must be good if you were on the team at your old school" Clarke insisted.

"I don't know, Clarke..."

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Upon watching the soccer practice, Lexa had been reminded of how much she loved the sport. It had always been for her a good way to escape the stress of school and to forget about her problems.

Saying she wasn't good was a lie. In fact, she was so good that she had been promoted to team captain after half a year of being on the team.

Her teammates at her old school were pretty much the only people who were nice to her. She had made a few friends there. That team was really the only place where she felt safe and accepted.

However now, she wasn't so sure it would be a good idea to join. She didn't know anyone on the team and Octavia was the new team captain. Even though she didn't know to what extent, she was aware that the younger girl did not appreciate her very much. If anything, she seemed to hate her.

Lexa wasn't stupid. She knew it most likely had something to do with the friendship between Clarke and herself. She didn't miss the looks she was getting from Clarke's group of friends ** _(ex- group of friends?)_** whenever they saw her and Clarke hanging out together.

"I don't know, Clarke..."

"At least promise me you'll consider it, yeah?"

"Okay, Clarke"

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

She made the decision that night to participate in the try outs. She wasn't going to let somebody else dictate her life and if she wanted to play soccer, no one would stop her from doing so.

Clarke had been extremely excited about it when she told her and had wrapped her in a tight hug.

_"Oh my god, Lexa this is so cool ! You're going to be amazing" she had said, squeezing Lexa a bit tighter._

_"You've never even seen me play" Lexa chuckled, enjoying the warmth of Clarke's body against her own._

_"I don't need to. I just know it" she said while finally pulling away, grinning from ear to ear._

_"You shouldn't be so sure. Maybe I suck at it and you're just getting your hopes up" Lexa retorted._

_"As if you could ever suck at anything. You're perfect" Clarke truthfully said._

_Lexa had no idea how much Clarke really meant that._

_"Not as perfect as you" Lexa had spoken so quietly, Clarke wasn't sure she had heard correctly but when she saw the blush on the girl's cheeks, she knew she had. Her heart instantly melted at how adorable Lexa was._

_She tried masking her own blush and grabbed the girl's hand leading her towards their spot on the school's rooftop._

Now, Lexa was sitting on a bench, waiting with Clarke in the locker room for the try outs to begin and she was starting to doubt herself.

**_What if I'm not good enough after all? What if I mess up and embarrass myself in front of the whole team?_ **

"Lex, relax" Clarke said, placing a hand on Lexa's forearm.

With everybody else, it was easy to pretend she was perfectly fine. However, she couldn't hide anything from the blonde. Lexa didn't know how but Clarke always seemed to know what she was thinking.

She positionned herself behind Lexa, and began massaging her shoulders. Lexa let out a moan at the feeling and Clarke slightly faltered in her movements.

When Clarke was done, Lexa thanked her with a kiss on the cheek.

Seeing it was starting in a few minutes, she made her way out on the field, feeling ten times more relaxed than she did before.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

She nailed it.

At first, when she stepped onto the field, she had been a bit unsettled by all the looks that were thrown at her. One of them being from Octavia, a look which was a mix of anger and disbelief.

However, the second she first kicked into the ball, it felt like she had never stopped playing. It felt amazing to reconnect with something that had been such a big part of her life in the past.

She could see the impressed look on the coach's face as he jotted down some notes.

Clarke was in the bleachers the whole time, cheering for her.

As soon as she was done, she felt a weight collide with her back and turned around in the embrace so she could hug Clarke properly.

"I'm so proud of you" Clarke whispered, burying her face in the crook of Lexa's neck.

"Thank you, Clarke. I know I probably wouldn't have had the courage to do it without you so thank you"

"You're welcome. Now go take a shower, you stink"

Lexa playfully pushed Clarke away "Oh I see how it is" she said before heading towards the showers, throwing one last smile in Clarke's direction.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

Clarke watched Lexa go and felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned around and saw Octavia, arms crossed, standing in front of her. She had to keep herself from rolling her eyes.

"What do you want?"

She didn't mean to sound so harsh but she really didn't want to deal with whatever Octavia wanted to tell her.

"We miss you, Clarke"

Clarke's expression softened a bit but it soon turned into one of anger at Octavia's next words.

"We honestly thought you'd be back by now but it's been almost a month and you're still attached by the hip with that girl. You can't possibly drop us for _her_?" Octavia said, her tone turning to disgust as she emphasized the word _'her'_.

"Are you for real?!"

Clarke knew she was attracting attention by yelling but at this point she didn't care.

"Clarke, this girl is only going to-"

"Oh my god, what has she ever done to you for you to treat her like that?"

"She stole my friend ! She turned you into someone else. Look at you, Clarke ! You don't even hang out with your friends anymore !" Octavia started to shout as well.

"She didn't do shit to you ! You lost a friend because you were being an asshole. Stop blaming others for YOUR mistakes"

At this point, Clarke was so done. She just wanted to find Lexa and leave.

She started to turn around but what Octavia said next made her stop dead.

"You're screwing her, is that it? Are you such a slut that you'd give up on your friends for a damn hook up?"

The second she said the words, Octavia seemed to regret them but it was too late. Everything seemed to still and Clarke felt like she had been sucker punched. She never thought Octavia would stoop so low.

Clarke wasn't even out to the school. She had only told her closest friends which consisted of Raven and Octavia.

Not only had Octavia slutshamed her, she had also broken the promise to never reveal that secret to anyone.

Clarke was speechless. She wanted to respond but the lump in her throat kept her from doing so. Tears started to brim at her eyes.

The voice that was heard next didn't belong to her nor did it belong to Octavia. It was Lexa's.

"What did you do?" She questioned, fixing Octavia with a glare, her jaw clenching in anger.

No answer.

"I said" she paused and Octavia audibly gulped "what the fuck did you do to Clarke?"

Clarke could only watch, still in shock of the events of the past minutes. Lexa looked incredibly powerful, commanding even.

Octavia opened her mouth and closed it several times, no sound coming out. Clarke had never seen Octavia so scared. When she finally found her voice again, it was shaky.

"I-I didn't- I just-it's not" she stuttered.

"I don't know what you did and honestly I don't care. Clarke is the kindest, most beautiful person I have had the chance to meet and if you're too blind to see that, then that's your loss but just know that if you _ever_ make her cry again, I'm coming for you" Lexa said menacingly low.

Octavia nodded several times, eyes wide. She turned around and left hurriedly.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Lexa had come back on the field because she had forgotten her bag with her clothes in it on the bench.

In the distance, she saw Clarke and Octavia, seemingly arguing. She got closer but couldn't hear what was said.

Suddenly, she saw Clarke froze and a few tears roll down her cheeks.

She ran the last few meters and stopped in front of Octavia. She confronted her but didn't get any reply. _**Pathetic,**_ she thought.

She didn't know what Octavia had said but whatever it was, Clarke was upset and that was not something Lexa was going to accept.

Clarke was a very positive person. She smiled more often than not and managed to brighten a room whenever she walked in. Seeing her so sad and vulnerable broke Lexa's heart.

When Octavia left, Lexa turned to look at Clarke who had been silently watching them during the whole exchange.

"Are you okay?" Lexa asked, cupping her cheeks and brushing her tears away with her thumbs.

The blonde nodded but her lower lip was still quivering.

"It's just-I just- I can't believe-"

Her voice broke and Lexa pulled her against her, placing one hand around her shoulders and the other behind her head, brushing a pattern against her scalp in a soothing manner as Clarke sobbed in her arms.

She was aware there were still other people around watching them and she knew the blonde wouldn't want to be seen like this by other students so she carefully pulled away from the embrace, took Clarke's hand in hers and wordlessly lead them to Clarke's car.

After a few seconds, she felt Clarke's hand turn in hers and the blonde intertwined their fingers. Their hands stayed linked like this until they arrived to the car and were forced to let go.

She opened the passenger door for Clarke and took the driver's seat.

Lexa wasn't used to drive because she didn't own a car. She did however have her driving license. Besides, the blonde was not in a state of mind where she could drive. She was clearly still shaken up by what had just happened.

Clarke gave into her exhaustion and fell asleep during the short drive to her house.

Lexa parked the car in the Griffin's driveway and stepped around it to open the passenger door. She lifted Clarke in her arms and carried her bridal style to her house.

Having both hands unavailable, she awkwardly rang the doorbell with her elbow.

Jake opened the door, a smile on his face which turned into a frown at the sight of his daughter, asleep in Lexa's arms, dried tears covering both of her cheeks.

"She's fine. She just needs to rest for a bit" Lexa reassured him.

He nodded and stepped aside to let them in.

Lexa walked up the stairs and gently dropped Clarke on the bed before pulling the covers over her body, brushing away a strand of hair that had fallen over Clarke's eyes.

Unbeknownst to her, Jake was fondly watching Lexa take care of his daughter.

He pulled out his phone and took a picture as Lexa leaned down to press a gentle kiss on the blonde's forehead.

When they finally get together, he plans to use that picture as evidence that he knew all along.

He went back downstairs and waited for Lexa to come back. When she did he looked up from his newspaper which he was holding upside down, by the way.

If Clarke was here she would have rolled her eyes at his lack of subtlety.

"Thank you for bringing her home, Lexa"

"Oh it's nothing really"

"You know, she's been really happy lately and I believe I have you to thank for that"

"Oh thank you. She makes me really happy too" Lexa replied, not exactly sure how to respond to what he had said.

"I'm glad" he smiled at her.

Not knowing how to continue the conversation, Lexa tried to head for the door, shooting a small _'bye'_ at Jake.

"Lexa, wait" Jake stopped her.

Once he got her attention, Jake continued.

"I think Clarke would really appreciate it if you stayed a little longer"

"Oh I'm not sure it's a good idea. She probably wants to be alone"

"Look, you don't have to if you don't want to but I can tell whatever happened was not nothing and I think she'd feel better if you were here when she wakes up. You can even stay the night, it's not a problem"

"Are you sure, M.Griffin?" Lexa hesitantly asked.

"Of course Lexa. And I thought I told you to call me Jake" he pretended to be mad at her and she chuckled, feeling comfortable around the man.

"I'll try" she promised.

"Eh I'll take it" he shrugged "And Lexa?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really glad my daughter met you"

"I'm really glad too" she softly said before going up the stairs.

She called her mom to tell her she was staying at the Griffin's and entered Clarke's room, sitting on her bedside and taking one of Clarke's hands with her own.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

Clarke woke up after half an hour. Lexa had moved to a chair, feeling a bit like a creep watching a sleeping person.

She had started doing her homework at Clarke's desk.

"Do you ever stop working?" Clarke asked, her voice raspy from sleeping. Lexa would be lying if she said that voice didn't have an effect on her.

"Yes"

Clarke just raised an eyebrow, slightly smirking.

"I do" Lexa argued "sometimes..." 

Clarke laughed and patted the space next to her.

Lexa got up and she sat down on the bed, her back pressed against the headboard and her hands folded in her lap. Clarke took one of her hands, pulled it into her own lap and started playing with Lexa's fingers.

"Thank you for earlier"

"Anytime"

Clarke stayed silent for a few moments, her eyebrows scrunched up in thought.

"Go ahead" Lexa told her.

"What?"

"Ask me whatever it is you want to ask me"

"How did you know-" she sighed "I just wanted to know how much you heard of my conversation with Octavia" she said, tracing her thumb over Lexa's knuckles.

"Well, I wouldn't really call that a conversation but I didn't really hear any of it, to be honest. I just saw you from afar" Lexa revealed.

Then she looked down at where her hand and Clarke's were now linked and asked the question that had been running through her mind since they came back from school.

"Was it- was it because of me?" She nervously asked.

"Oh no ! No, no. Well kinda but not really"

"I'm sorry, Clarke"

"What? No Lexa, it's not your fault. None of this is your fault"

Lexa was now looking away, feeling guilty that she was, despite herself, part of the reason why the blonde looked so hurt.

"Lexa, look at me" Clarke requested.

Lexa still didn't meet her eyes so Clarke grabbed her chin in between her thumb and index finger and lifted it so she was looking straight into Lexa's eyes.

"This isn't your fault in any way. You hear me?"

Lexa nodded but still didn't look convinced.

Clarke took a big breath and gathered all her courage before speaking.

"We did talk about you, yes, but what hurt me was something else. She just...she went too far. She had promised not to tell anyone and she broke that promise and I just- I just c-can't believe she w-would-" Clarke's voice got shaky and it became harder for her to speak.

"It's fine, you don't have to tell me"

Lexa didn't want Clarke to feel like she owed her an explanation because she really didn't.

"I want to. I just don't know where to start..."

"Take all the time you need. I'm not going anywhere"

The silence that followed lasted a few minutes. Clarke trying to put order to her thoughts and Lexa patiently waiting for the blonde to be ready to speak.

When Clarke turned her head and looked at Lexa, the latter squeezed her hand and offered her an encouraging smile.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

"Last year, I started to...to realize some things and I...at first I didn't know how to feel about it because it was kinda new to me" Clarke knew she was being vague but that's because didn't think she had the courage to go straight to the point "and I kept it to myself for a long time but it became too much to carry on my own and I had to tell someone so eventually I told my parents and then I told Raven and Octavia who promised not to tell anyone until I was ready for it....I guess what I'm trying to say is..." she sucked in a big breath before speaking again "..I'm bisexual and uh...yeah that's it"

She kept looking down, too afraid to see Lexa's reaction. **_What if Lexa didn't want to be friends with her anymore because it made her uncomfortable?_** Her thoughts were interrupted when Lexa squeezed her hand and softly said

"Thank you for telling me, Clarke"

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

She had listened intently to Clarke's story. She thought she knew where it was going but didn't want to assume and kept quiet, waiting for Clarke to finish speaking.

Looking at the blonde who had left herself completely vulnerable to her, she felt the urge to reassure her that it didn't change anything.

"Thank you for telling me, Clarke"

Relief filled watery blue eyes and Lexa continued speaking so to not make Clarke feel embarrassed.

Lexa wanted to come out to the blonde as well but knew that today was about Clarke and she was going to make sure her friend knew she was here for her no matter what, just like Clarke was always here for her.

She will tell her eventually. When the time is right.

"So what happened back there, was it about that?"

"Part of it. She just-she started to say those things but there were people around and I just- I'm s-so scared that....that it's going t-to change everything now. I c-can't believe sh-she would do that" Clarke said through fresh tears.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. You're okay" Lexa said while taking the blonde in her arms, rocking them gently. She knew she couldn't promise Clarke that everything would remain the same. She could only hope things were going to be okay for her.

The day had been really long for the both of them and they were exhausted. They just layed there together, fully clothed. They were face to face and their hands were linked between them.

Lexa was about to fall asleep when she heard a soft whisper.

"I love you, Lexa"

Lexa knew Clarke didn't mean it in a romantic way but it still caused her heart to skip a beat. She couldn't deny it anymore. Her feelings for Clarke were growing everyday and she didn't know how long she would be able to keep them hidden. For now, she would enjoy having the blonde in her life, in whatever capacity that may be. Whether it be as friends or more, one thing was certain, she would continue to make sure Clarke felt happy and loved.

"I love you too, Clarke"

The slight curve of Clarke's lips was the last thing she saw before she drifted off into a peaceful sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning : use of homophobic slur

 

 

_Octavia's POV  
_

 

She came back home that day with tears in her eyes.

She had fucked up. She didn't know why she had said those things. She didn't mean them and she wished more than anything she could take it back.

Her outburst had been due to a mix of jealousy, anger but most of all, due to what Bellamy had told her a couple days ago.

 

 

_\--Two days ago--_

 

 

_"I miss Clarke so much" Octavia sighed as she sat down next to Bellamy._

_"You should talk to her" he said._

_"I'm not sure it's a good idea, Bell..." she hesitated._

_"Why not? Octavia, it's been a month and she hasn't talked to you ever since. All she does is spend her time with that girl. If we don't do anything, we'll lose her forever"_

_"But what if she's happier with Lexa?"_

_It was something Octavia had thought about lately. Before, she had been so wrapped up in her jealousy and disdain for Lexa that she hadn't considered the possibility that she was making Clarke happier than she, Raven and Bellamy did. The blonde seemed to smile more ever since she formed that bond with Lexa. What if they had been wrong about Lexa all along and she was actually exactly what Clarke needed?_

_"Happier with Lexa?" Bellamy asked disbelievingly, scoffing at the idea._

_"I mean, it's a possibility..."_

_"Octavia, she will only end up hurting Clarke...Do you seriously want to end up having to see a broken Clarke because we just stood there and did nothing to prevent her from getting hurt? We can't let anything happen to Clarke. She needs us. And we need her. It's always been like that, the four of us against the world, remember?"_

_She let herself believe her brother's words and was more confused than ever...what was she supposed to do? If something happened to Clarke, she would blame herself her whole life for not doing anything to stop it from happening._

_"Then...what can we do?" She asked._

_"You confront her. Whatever it takes to make her come back to her senses. With enough convincing, she'll realize what a mistake she's making. And if this doesn't work, I have something that might" he stated confidently._

 

 

_\--Back to present time--_

 

 

And now here she was. She had hurt one of the people she cared the most about and it seemed like there was nothing she could do to fix it.

Having heard his sister crying, Bellamy slowly pushed the door of her bedroom open and slipped inside. He crouched down and put a hand on her shoulder. She flinched away from his touch and he looked at her questioningly.

"What is it, O?"

"No, n-no, this is a-all y-your fault. If I ha-hadn't listened t-to you things wou-would have been fine !" she yelled through sobs.

"O, what do you mean?"

"C-Clarke, I hurt Clarke, y-you idiot ! And this is all be-because of w-what you told me" she accused, pointing her finger at him.

"Look, I don't know what Lexa said to you-"

"THIS IS NOT ABOUT LEXA GODDAMMIT !" She yelled "it's not about Lexa" she repeated more quietly.

"I don't- I'll fix this, I swear, O. Just...can you just look at me please?" He requested.

"Leave" she demanded.

"What?"

"I said LEAVE ! You have done enough damage already !"

He reluctantly exited the room, throwing one more look at Octavia who was still looking at the floor, shaking as sobs coursed through her.

She knew she couldn't blame her brother for everything that happened. It would be too easy. She had a part of responsibility in this too.

She had to fix this. She had to at least try. It would take a long time and a lot of effort but she was determined to make things right and she would start by apologizing to both Clarke and Lexa.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

This time when she woke up in Clarke's arms, Lexa didn't try to untangle herself from her. She just traced light patterns against the girl's hip, where her shirt had ridden up a bit, exposing soft skin.

Seeing it was already 7.30 and they both had to get ready for school, Lexa tried waking her up.

"Clarke"

No reaction.

She started peppering kisses all over the girl's face, from her forehead to the tip of her nose and both of her cheeks. Clarke let out a small giggle, indicating she was now awake and Lexa pressed one last kiss to her left cheek before getting up and extending her hand for the blonde to take.

Clarke just groaned and buried herself deeper into the covers, mumbling a _'five more minutes'_.

"Come on, Clarke" Lexa laughed at the girl's grumpiness "I have to stop by my house to get some clothes"

Clarke lifted her head from under the covers and pointed lazily at the wardrobe.

"You can just borrow some of mine, s'fine"

With that, she let her head fall back on the pillow.

"Ok but you'll still have to get up, you know" Lexa reminded her, fully knowing she'll probably have to wake the girl again.

Clarke hummed sleepily but made no move to get out of bed. Lexa shook her head at the girl and went into the wardrobe to retrieve a blue sweatshirt and black jeans.

As predicted, when Lexa walked back into the bedroom, Clarke was fast asleep, snoring lightly. Lexa chuckled and made her way downstairs, deciding to give the girl some more time to rest. She then settled on making breakfast for the both of them.

When she was done, she put the scrambled eggs and the toasts on a plate and walked back upstairs.

"Clarke?" she gently shook the girl

"Hmm?"

"Clarke, I made us breakfast"

The girl suddenly shot up. Lexa rolled her eyes at her because of course _that_ would wake her up.

They ate in silence, stealing glances at each other every now and then.

"Thank you" Clarke said, before pressing a kiss to Lexa's cheek.

"Y-you're welcome" Lexa stuttered.

When Lexa stood, Clarke got a good look at what the brunette was wearing.

"You look better in my clothes than I do"

"Now, that's a lie" Lexa argued and before Clarke could respond, she threw some clothes at Clarke's face "now, get dressed or we'll be late"

"Yes, mom" Clarke mumbled but did as she was told anyway.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

Jake was now in the kitchen, stirring coffee.

"Hey girls ! Want some coffee?"

"Thank you but we're already late so we're going to go" Lexa politely declined.

"We can be late, it doesn't matter" Clarke argued.

"Well, it matters to me. Come on !" Lexa retorted.

Clarke groaned but followed her. She would honestly follow her anywhere.

"Bye, dad !"

"Bye, M.Grif- uh Jake" Lexa corrected herself. Jake seemed pleased.

"Bye, girls ! Have a nice day !"

"A day at school isn't a nice day" Clarke started to say but was cut off when Lexa pushed her out and closed the door behind them, smiling apologetically at a laughing Jake.

She secretly loved how grumpy Clarke was in the morning.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

When they arrived at school, every students stopped what they were doing and stared at them, occasionally whispering something to their friends.

It didn't take them long to figure out why it was as they saw Finn and Murphy approach them. Finn was holding up a poster with written on it, in capital letters, ** _'DYKE OF THE YEAR'_**. On the picture below those letters, you could clearly identify Lexa kissing a girl. Except Lexa knew who that girl was.

_Costia._

Lexa took a step back in shock. _**How did they find that picture?** _

Looking around, she saw many more copies of that same picture plastered on the school walls. _**No no no no....**_

She vaguely registered Clarke's voice but what she was saying was lost on her as the world had come to a standstill. She felt panic rise inside her chest and found it harder to breathe. The several sets of eyes fixed on her made it even worse. Her only wish in that moment was to disappear, or to wake up and realize this was all a nightmare. _**It can't be...not again...** _

She turned around and ran out of the building as fast as her legs would allow her, tears falling freely from her eyes.

The world was spinning. She didn't know how long she had been running. She didn't know where she was either. It didn't matter.

She leaned her back on the side of a building and slid down against its wall. She bent her legs and pulled her arms around them, rocking back and forth while willing herself to wake up from this nightmare. She couldn't go through this again.

She had been like this for a few minutes when soft hands were suddenly wiping her tears away but she was too far gone to register anything. Her hands were pried away from her knees and a voice resonated in the distance. Or maybe was the voice close to her? She didn't know. All she knew was that somehow, it was soothing and she focused on that voice which she could now hear was calling out to her.

"...Lexa...baby, look at me please"

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Clarke tried to grab Lexa's hand but the girl had already turned around and set off on a run towards the exit of the building.

She was fuming. She looked at Finn and pointed angrily at the offending paper he was holding.

"Did you fucking do this?!"

He laughed.

"No, but I wish I did. This is priceless" he grinned, looking back at the picture.

"Go fuck yourself" she snarled.

At the end of the hall, she saw Octavia and Raven rip the posters off the wall. She frowned, not understanding why they would do such thing, but didn't have time to dwell on it. She had to find Lexa before something happened to the girl.

She looked around the school but the girl was nowhere to be seen. She started running down the street and found Lexa crouched against the wall of a building, nearly a block away from the school.

"Lexa? Lexa, it's me, it's Clarke" she said while slowly approaching the girl so she didn't scare her.

Lexa was panting but Clarke could tell it was not from the run. She got down on her knees and placed both hands on Lexa's cheeks just like she had done the first time Lexa had had a panic attack.

The girl's eyes were unfocused and she didn't seem to register Clarke's presence.

Clarke started stroking her hair with one hand while keeping the other on her cheek.

"You're okay, you're safe"

Lexa was still breathing heavily and it didn't look like it was going to slow down any time soon. Clarke started to panic but willed herself to remain calm for Lexa's sake. She slowly took Lexa's hands and pulled them away from her knees, taking them in her own and giving them a gentle squeeze. Lexa squeezed back. However, the rocking motion of her body didn't let up.

She kept talking to Lexa. She didn't know if the girl could hear but she had to find a way to keep her grounded.

"Lexa...baby, look at me please"

In the rush of the moment, she didn't even realize the term of endearment she had used. She was too focused on Lexa to care about anything else.

Clarke let a sigh of relief escape her lips when emerald eyes finally met her blue ones.

"Okay, good. Keep looking at me and try to breathe" she instructed.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

She was trying so hard to do as Clarke said but her throat was constricting and the small intakes of breath she managed to take were not enough. Clarke's hands left hers and went back to her cheeks. Images of Costia kept popping inside Lexa's mind.

"Lex, I need you to focus on the things you can feel, on the things you can hear and see"

She can feel....she can feel the cold wind on her face, she can feel her own tears rolling down her face, she can feel Clarke's soft hands on her cheeks and she can feel her thumbs gently brushing those same cheeks.

She can hear the honking of cars in the distance, she can hear the siren of an ambulance, she can hear Clarke's voice whispering sweet nothings to her.

She can see... _she can see Clarke_. The girl whose eyes are currently filled with concern and unshed tears. The girl who never gave up on her. The girl she would do anything for. The girl who, in the span of only a month, had become her whole world.

Her breathing got steadier the more she focused on Clarke and eventually it evened out. She fell into Clarke's arms due to the exhaustion she suddenly felt.

"You're okay, you're safe" she heard Clarke say while she rubbed circles on her back.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

Clarke guided them back towards the school but changed her mind, figuring it was probably a bad idea to go back there for the time being. She would wait for things to calm down a bit. Tomorrow was Saturday anyway.

She was going to find out who made those posters and when she does there will be hell to pay. Outing someone was a big no in her book, no matter what was the motive for it.

She was not going to ask about the girl on the picture either. She was curious about it but would not be invasive of Lexa's privacy.

She got into her car and motioned for Lexa to join her. When she did, she drove them back home.

Both of her parents were at work so they had the house to themselves.

Without a word, she led them to her bedroom, rearranged the pillows, layed on her bed and put on Netflix, waiting for Lexa to join her.

Lexa hesitantly curled into her side and Clarke put one arm around her shoulders, pulling her even closer.

She didn't know if Lexa wanted to speak about what had happened or not so she just kept quiet about it and instead, asked Lexa what she wanted to watch.

Lexa shyly asked if they could watch a Disney movie and Clarke didn't think she could be more in love with the girl looking up at her with hopeful eyes.

"You wanna watch a Disney movie?"

Lexa looked down bashfully.

"I mean, if you think it's too childish, I get it. I just-"

"I love Disney movies, don't worry" Clarke cut her off, smiling "so which one do you wanna watch?"

"Mulan?"

"Mulan, it is" Clarke said as she pressed play on the movie.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

Completely immersed in the movie, Lexa started mouthing the lyrics to every single song which Clarke found incredibly cute. Clarke smiled down at her and pulled the girl closer to her.

She loved that about Lexa. How carefree the girl could be. She knew it wouldn't last and eventually they'll have to talk about what happened today but right now, she just wanted to take in the expression of pure happiness that was etched on Lexa's face.

The movie was coming to an end when Clarke realized Lexa had fallen asleep. She couldn't blame the girl. Today hadn't been easy for her and the day had just started. She tucked the girl under the covers and left the room to call her dad.

"Hey dad, do you think you could make another one of those LGBT cakes?"

"What's the special occasion?" He asked, curious.

"It's not for me. It's for Lexa" she revealed, hoping the girl wouldn't be too mad at her for revealing that info to her father. She really just wanted Lexa to feel as accepted as she had when she came out to her parents.

"Say no more. I'll be there in 20"

"Thank you, dad"

"Anytime, kiddo"

She hung up the phone and slipped back inside her room. Taking in the form of the sleeping girl. She sat down next to Lexa and approached her hand of her face, lightly tracing her jawline.

"I love you so much" she whispered.

In her sleep, Lexa grabbed her hand and pulled their joined hands over her heart.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

As promised, Jake arrived 20 minutes later and Clarke joined him in the kitchen soon after.

Three hours later, they were done.

Clarke hugged her father and thanked him.

"Thank you for doing this" she whispered against his chest. "It's nothing. Besides, I love that girl. If you don't end up marrying her, I'm totally adopting her" 

"Shut up" she mumbled, pushing him lightly.

He laughed and shoved her towards the stairs.

"Now, go get your girl"

"She's not my girl" she mumbled while climbing the stairs.

"Yet ! She's not your girl yet !" she heard her father call out to her. She rolled her eyes and stepped into the room, closing the door behind her.

"Hey, Lexa...wake up" she whispered while gently shaking the girl.

Lexa cracked an eye open, mumbled unintelligibly then closed it again.

"Come on, I'm supposed to be the grumpy one" Clarke laughed but stopped abruptly when a hand grabbed her own and she stumbled forward, awkwardly landing next to Lexa on the bed.

"Sleep" Lexa commanded.

Clarke chuckled and put her arms around the girl's waist, pressing her front against Lexa's back.

"Ok but just five minutes"

"Yeah, yeah" Lexa absentmindedly replied.

 

 

_\--15 minutes later--_

 

"Ok now, we really need to get up"

"But whyyy?" Lexa whined.

"Cause I have a surprise for you"

"You do? But...it's not my birthday..." Lexa frowned.

"I know, you dork. I just wanted to do something for you" she said while grabbing Lexa's hand and pulling her out of the bed.

She led them downstairs where her dad was waiting for them, the brightly coloured cake by his side. Written on it in big letters were now the words **' _STRAIGHT OUTTA THE CLOSET''._** Leave it to her father to make this kind of joke.

"I know it's not much but I just wanted you to know that we love you just the way you are and yeah..." Clarke quiety said, nervous about Lexa's reaction.

"Clarke..." Lexa said while taking in the cake, tears starting to form in the corner of her eyes.

"Oh no, don't cry. Is it too much? We can throw it out if you don't like it. We don't have to-"

She was cut off when Lexa threw both arms around her neck.

"Thank you" she whispered in her neck.

Clarke wrapped her arms around the girl. They stayed like this for a minute, completely forgetting the third presence in the room until Jake cleared his throat.

"Clarke, why don't you start cutting the cake while I have a little chat with Lexa?" He winked at Lexa to reassure her it was nothing bad.

Clarke questioningly looked back at Lexa. When she nodded, she left the two of them in the living room.

They sat side by side and Jake turned so he could face Lexa.

"First of all, I want you to know that I'm proud of you. You are an incredibly brave young woman and I want you to know that this doesn't change anything"

"...I'm scared..." she admitted.

"And it's normal but you have people who love you and who are there for you. For one, there is me. And I know my daughter is quite fond of you as well"

Lexa could only nod, emotion getting the best of her. She had never really had a father figure. Her mother died when she was nine and her father had abandonned her shortly after. Her adoptive mother, Indra, had raised her and her adoptive siblings as a single mother. Having Jake tell her how proud he is of her made her realize how much she craved that paternal presence in her life.

What he said next made her break into sobs.

"I want you to know that I see you like a second daughter and if you ever need anything, you can just ask me. I'll be happy to help you with whatever you need" he truthfully said.

"Thank you so much" she said through sobs.

He wrapped his arms around her.

"Of course. Now how about we eat this cake?"

She slowly nodded into his chest and they joined Clarke in the kitchen. Upon seeing the tears on Lexa's cheeks, Clarke frowned.

"Daaad. You made her cry" she said, pointing a spoon in his direction.

"You know, if you want to hurt me, this might not be the most effective weapon" he joked.

Lexa let out a watery laugh and watched as the two of them started bickering.

It ended in a food fight which she unwillingly ended up being a part of.

 _ **This right here. This is what pure happiness feels like**_ , she thought as she ran around the house, laughing and trying to dodge the flour Jake was throwing at her.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly I just love Jake and it make me sad that in most fanfics, he doesn't get to meet Lexa


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had some time on my hands today so here's chapter 7 :)

 

 

When they went back to school, they were surprised to see things hadn't really changed. Apart from the occasional stare, students behaved pretty decently. Well, except Finn but what else is new? The most noticeable change was the attention Lexa suddenly got from certain girls. Luna, for instance, was all over Lexa since the beginning of the day and Clarke was not having it.

She knew Lexa was hot. She wasn't blind. She just didn't want other people to notice it.

She was pretty sure Lexa didn't want to date that girl but couldn't help the tinge of jealousy that sparked inside her whenever the brunette would talk to her.

Speak of the Devil, Luna was now making her way towards them. Clarke tried not to roll her eyes. She really tried.

"Hey, Lexa" Luna seductively said while twirling a strand of hair around her index finger and looking at Lexa in a way she probably thought was attractive.

"Oh...uh hey" Lexa awkwardly replied.

"So I was wondering if you were free on Saturday. I was thinking we could go to the movies or something"

It took a few seconds for Lexa to formulate a response and Clarke beat her to it.

"She already has something planned" she said while putting an arm around Lexa's waist.

Luna fixed her with a glare and asked "Oh yeah? And what would that be?"

"We're having a movie night. At my place. Right, Lex?" she said, looking up at Lexa.

Lexa, completely oblivious to the tension rising between the two, nodded a few times and smiled apologetically at Luna.

"Umm yeah, sorry. Maybe another time?"

 ** _Or not,_** Clarke thought.

"Yeah, sure" Luna tried to mask her disappointment with a smile. She threw a glare at Clarke who was grinning triumphantly, then left.

"She seems nice" Lexa said.

"Yeah, right" Clarke scoffed.

"You don't think so?" Lexa asked, confused.

"Yeah sure, she seems nice" Clarke lied.

"You're a very bad liar, Clarke Griffin. Now, come on, I don't want to be late for class" she said while tugging on Clarke's hand.

"Nerd"

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

"Alright, class. Today you will all be assigned a work" Miss Vie announced "This will be done by groups of two and before you get all excited, no, you do not get to choose your partner"

A collective groan was heard.

"This work will consist of a 10 minute presentation on a famous author of the English litterature"

Miss Vie started listing off the groups and Clarke prayed to whatever God was out there that she would be paired up with Lexa.

"Clarke Griffin and....Monty Green"

Clarke was disappointed but at least she was with Monty and not someone she didn't like. She had talked to him a few times and he seemed like a nice guy.

He turned in his chair, smiled at her and shot her a thumbs up. She smiled back but her smile dropped at Miss Vie's next words.

"Lexa Woods and...Luna Moon"

 ** _You have got to be kidding me. The universe fucking hates me,_** she thought as she watched Luna's face light up.

She hadn't realized how tightly she was holding her pencil until it snapped under the pressure.

Lexa, whose eyes had been up until now trained on their teacher, turned to her in concern.

"Are you okay?"

"M'fine" Clarke replied while glaring at Luna who was smirking at her. ** _That bitch._**

Lexa pried Clarke's fingers open, releasing the fragments of pencil from the grip she still had on them.

"Clarke, you're bleeding!" Lexa exclaimed.

"What? No I'm not. What are you talking ab- _oh_ "

Indeed, the wood of the pencil had cut through her skin and red liquid was now dripping down her hand. The cut didn't look deep enough to require stitches but there was a lot of blood nonetheless.

"Miss! Can I take Clarke to the infirmary?" Lexa asked while pointing at Clarke's bleeding hand.

"Uh yeah sure, you do that"

They got out of the classroom and Lexa led them towards the infirmary.

"Holy shit, that's...that's a lot of blood. Oh God..."

Lexa looked worryingly pale.

"Lex, are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's just...the sight of blood..."

"I can cover it up, if you want"

"No, no it's fine. I'm good"

"Okay, we have established that I'm a bad liar but you are even worse. Here, sit down" Clarke instructed as she pulled out a chair for Lexa to sit on.

She went to retrieve a few bandages as they waited for the school nurse to arrive. Honestly, she could clean her wound herself but whatever.

"Better?" She asked as she held up her bandaged hand.

"Much. Thank you" Lexa let out a sigh of relief "I'm sorry...it only happens when there's a lot of blood- I just...when my mom....when my mom died there was just...just so much blood and I just-"

"Hey, it's fine....you don't have to tell me"

"But I want to"

"Yeah but I want you to tell me only if you're ready. Talking about it can trigger some bad memories. It's okay if you're not ready"

"Thank you, Clarke"

"So what do we have here?" The nurse interrupted "Oh honey, you look really pale, what is it?" she said as she crouched down in front of Lexa and cradled her face in her hands before pressing one against Lexa's forehead to check for any possible fever.

"Uh I...I don't- I'm not" Lexa stumbled over her words.

"I'm actually the one who needs treatment" Clarke smirked and held up her bandaged hand to prove the veracity of her statement.

"Oh yeah, of course, sorry" the nurse quickly redirected her attention to Clarke. She took Clarke's hand in hers and started undoing the bandages to get a look at the wound.

"Those bandages are impressively well done"

"Well, my mom's a doctor so..."

"Have you ever considered becoming one too?" the nurse started doing small talk as she began cleaning the wound.

"Not really. It's just not for me"

"What about you, honey?" she asked as she turned to face Lexa.

"Uh me? I..I don't really know"

"It's fine, honey, you still have time to decide" she reassured the brunette "and...done. Make sure to clean the wound every day and try not to use that hand too much"

"Ok. Thanks"

"Have a nice day, girls !"

"You too" They both said in chorus.

Clarke started directing them towards the classroom but Lexa tugged on her arm to stop her. She then took Clarke's left hand and placed small kisses all over the wound.

Clarke's heart missed a beat. Maybe two.

How badly she wanted to just kiss Lexa in that moment. She refrained herself from doing so though and hugged the brunette instead. When they entered the classroom hand in hand, Clarke shot a smug look at Luna who discretly mouthed _'game on'_.

If you asked Lexa, the _'game'_ was over before it even started because she would choose Clarke over any other girl. Without a shadow of a doubt.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

Octavia and Raven approached them after the last period of the day and Lexa protectively put herself in front of Clarke, shielding the blonde from them.

"She doesn't wish to speak to you"

"I know...and that's kind of why I'm here..." Octavia said "I- _we_ wanted to apologize...to the both of you"

"We've been acting like assholes" Raven continued "and there's no excuse for it and I know an apology isn't nearly enough to-"

"You're right. It's not enough" Lexa cut her off "you can't expect Clarke to forgive you just because you offered a simple apology"

"We know...we know. But we're trying. We just wanted you to know that we're sorry" Octavia explained.

Lexa glanced behind her. Clarke looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here. She turned back to face Raven and Octavia who were now silently staring at them.

"Well, now that you've said what you wanted to say, we're going to leave"

"No, wait! There's something else!"

"I'm sorry, but we don't want to hear whatever it is you want to say. Just give us some time" Lexa shot back. She then took Clarke's hand and started to walk down the hall.

"We know who made the posters!"

That made Lexa stop. Clarke let go of her hand and marched towards her ex-friends.

"Who?"

"It was Bellamy" Octavia quietly admitted.

"And how do I know you're not lying?"

Octavia told them about the conversation she had with Bellamy. She repeated to them what he had said last : _"if this doesn't work, I have something that might"_

"That asshole" Clarke gritted her teeth.

"Can we just go, please?" Lexa was starting to feel uncomfortable. Did she want Bellamy to suffer the consequences of his actions? Yes, of course. She just didn't want to deal with it right now.

"Go? No Lexa, we have to do something!"

"And we will but I'm really tired right now and I just want to go home...please?" She pleaded.

"Okay..but promise me you'll talk to the principal about it"

"Pinky swear" Lexa said while extending her pinky finger.

"God, you're such a dork" Clarke commented while linking her finger with Lexa.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

"So my dad was wondering if your family would like to spend Thanksgiving with us. What do you think?" Clarke asked as they finished completing their homework.

"I'd love to but I'll have to ask my mom first"

"Yeah, of course....listen...about Bellamy"

"No. We don't talk about him"

"But we-"

"Shhhh" Lexa silenced her by pressing her index finger against her lips "not today"

"Fine. But we will, right?"

"I pinky swore, didn't I?" Lexa joked.

"GIRLS! DINNER'S READY!" Abby shouted from downstairs.

"COMING!" Clarke shouted back.

"Shit Clarke, are you trying to make me deaf?"

"Sorry. I'm so sor- oh my god, you have such tiny ears. It's adorable"

"I'm not adorable" Lexa pouted "I'm strong. And scary"

"Sure you are" She pressed a kiss on Lexa's cheek and watched as red started creeping up her face.

Clarke walked out of the room and Lexa heard her mutter something under her breath that sounded suspiciously similar to _'so fucking cute'_.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

They spoke to the principal the next day. Octavia insisted on coming with them, arguing that it would probably benefit them if Bellamy's sister herself claimed he was the one who did it. The principal told them he'd look into it but couldn't promise anything. They had to be sure Bellamy was the one behind it first.

It didn't take them long to prove he did it as Octavia easily found the draft of the posters in a file on his computer and Bellamy broke under the pressure and admitted he did it. **_What kind of an idiot doesn't delete that kind of file?_ ** Clarke thought.

Bellamy got suspended for two weeks and he would have to go to detention for three weeks after Thanksgiving's break. It was only a small payback for what he had done but it would have to be enough. For now.

"I'm going to the library to work on my project with Luna, wanna come with?" Lexa asked.

 ** _Oh yeah. Luna._** With everything going on, Clarke had almost forgotten about the girl.

She considered declining Lexa's offer, realizing she also had work to do but the alternative of leaving Lexa alone with Luna made her feel uneasy. Besides, she knew Monty was most likely in the library too. She could get a start on her own assignment.

"Sure, let me just grab my stuff and I'll meet you there"

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

She rolled her eyes upon arriving at the library. Luna was already here and she was unsurprisingly flirting with Lexa. Throwing her seductive smiles and winking at her every now and then _(every two damn seconds)._

Clarke sat in front of Monty and frequently sneaked glances at Lexa.

"So, Clarke, I thought we could-" he stopped speaking when he realized she was clearly not paying attention and seemed far more interested in whatever was going on at Lexa's table "You can go talk to her, you know, I don't mind"

She threw him an apologetic smile. "Thanks Monty, you're amazing. Maybe we can work on it tomorrow?"

"Yeah, yeah sure. Don't worry"

Clarke arrived in front of Lexa's desk and loudly dropped her books on the desk, startling Luna who was getting way too close to Lexa for Clarke's liking.

She bent down and pressed a soft kiss on Lexa's cheek.

"Hey babe, what are you doing?" She asked as she pulled a chair and sat next to Lexa. She grabbed Lexa's hand and intertwined their fingers. Maybe the additional _'babe'_ wasn't necessary but Clarke was petty like that.

Lexa was confused. **_Hadn't she just told Clarke what she was going to the library for?_** She shrugged it off and turned to face Clarke.

"We're working on Miss Vie's assignment" she answered, pointing with her free hand at the sheets of paper scattered around the desk.

"Excuse me, but why is she here exactly?" Luna asked, failing at hiding the annoyance in her voice.

"It's fine, Luna. I invited Clarke to join us" Lexa explained.

"Is it really necessary for her to be here? Surely she has something better to do"

**_Okay, that's it._ **

"You know you could stop talking as if I'm not sitting right in front of you. And as far as I know, I'm not bothering anyone. It's not like you're working anyway. You've been staring at Lexa for the past 5 minutes"

"Your friend is fucking weird. Aren't you going to say anything, Lex?" Luna asked.

Lexa had been helplessy watching the girls argue back and forth but she had to do something before it got out of control.

"Luna, for you it's _Lexa_ , not _'Lex'_. And Clarke is my best friend which means she has every right to be here. If you can't respect that, I'm afraid we can't work together anymore. I'll send you my part of the work"

With that she gathered her books and left, followed closely by a grinning Clarke.

Monty was doing a poor job at muffling his laughter and Luna flipped him the bird before storming out of the library.

 

_Clarke 1 - Luna 0_

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

"Clarke...Clarke I'm on the team. Holy shit, Clarke, I'm on the team"

The list of the new members of the soccer team had been put up in the hallway this very morning and Lexa had been standing there for ten whole minutes, whispering the same words over and over again. As adorable as it was, it was getting a bit repetitive.

"I can see that" Clarke chuckled "I'm proud of you"

"I'm on the team....I'm on the freaking team"

"Yes, Lexa, you're on the team" Clarke rolled her eyes.

"Waw....did you see this Clarke? That's me" she said, pointing at her name on the list "I'm on the team"

"Ok that's amazing and you are very cute but if we don't move right now, we'll be late"

"Fuck that, I'm on the team" Lexa repeated with pride in her voice.

Clarke burst out laughing.

"I think the whole student body knows that by now. Come on, beautiful" she tugged at Lexa's hand, pulling her away from the list.

Lexa wore a smile for the rest of the day.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

When they arrived at Clarke's that evening, Jake was already there, reading the newspaper. He looked up when they entered the living room.

"Hey, it's my favorite daughter ! And look, Clarke is here too !" he said while getting up, wrapping his arms around Lexa.

"Ha ha. Very funny, Dad" Clarke deadpanned.

"I know, I try" he answered "So how was today?"

 ** _Here we go,_ ** Clarke thought but couldn't help the pride that swelled in her heart when she thought of Lexa being a new member of the soccer team.

"I got on the soccer team" Lexa announced, a shit-eating grin etched on her features.

"Really?! It's great ! I'm proud of you ! What about you, Clarke?"

"Uh...I only fell asleep twice today"

Lexa chuckled next to her and she shot the brunette a grin.

"What an accomplishment. You keep making me proud" Jake joked.

"I know, I try" Clarke repeated her father's words.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

They started making dinner together and were very careful as to not leave any food stains. Let's just say that, following their food fight, they had to clean it all up because Abby did not find it very funny when she came home to a flour-covered house.

They had been eating for ten minutes when Lexa's phone vibrated with a text message. She frowned. Not many people had her phone number and her family had become used to her staying at the Griffin's for dinner. She pulled out her phone to check who it was.

 

**Unknown number - 6.45 PM**

**Hey, it's Luna. Can we talk?**

 

 ** _Fuck._** She forgot she had given her phone number to Luna in case she had any questions about the assignment.

"Why is Luna texting you?" Clarke asked from beside her.

"I don't know. I forgot I even gave her my number"

 

**Lexa - 6.48 PM**

**I am a bit busy at the moment. I'm sorry.**

 

**Luna - 6.49 PM**

**It's fine, I just wanted to apologize. Maybe later?**

 

**Lexa - 6.53 PM**

**Yes, maybe.**

 

She put her phone back in her pocket.

"Sorry, Jake"

"It's fine, don't worry about it"

Lexa could feel Clarke's stare on her so she turned to look at her.

"What is it?"

"Nothing...just...you're going to text her later?"

"Not if you don't want me to"

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

 _ **Would it be too much to ask Lexa not to text Luna? Technically, she said it was up to me..**_.

Clarke decided she wouldn't keep Lexa from doing what she wanted to do. Besides, she didn't want to look like an overly possessive person. She trusted that the bond she had created with Lexa was stronger than whatever would come at them.

"You can text her, it's fine. It's only for school anyway" She didn't know if she was trying to convince Lexa or herself.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

Clarke drove Lexa home and walked her to her doorstep. Lexa turned to her and took her hand in hers.

"You know you can tell me if you don't want me to talk with Luna. You're my best friend. I'll always choose you over her, you know that, right?"

"I know" Clarke said as she pulled Lexa against her, throwing her arms around the other girl's neck.

"I love you, Clarke"

"I love you too, Lexa"

Lexa entered her house and almost bumped into Anya who was standing right behind it.

"So who was blondie? Was that Clarke? That's totally Clarke. She's cute. I understand why you're so in love with her"

"I'm not- shut up !" Lexa whined, shoving her sister away, ignoring the kissing noises she was making.

Despite her sister's teasing, she knew there was some truth to what she had said. She was definitely in love with her best friend.

 _ **How fucking cliche**_ , she thought, chuckling to herself.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Griffin/Woods Thanksgiving OR How many times can we embarrass Clarke and Lexa? A book written by Jake Griffin and Anya Woods.

 

 

It had been decided that the Griffin/Woods Thanksgiving would be held at the Woods residence. Indra and Jake would be the one preparing the food.

This will be the first time Clarke sees the inside of Lexa's house but most importantly the first time she sees her family.

Clarke was sitting in between Lexa's legs while the brunette was braiding her hair and she was starting to have second thoughts about it.

"They won't like me"

"I'm pretty sure it's impossible to not like you" Lexa reassured her.

"Well, _Luna_ hates me so it's definitely possible"

"Luna doesn't hate you"

Clarke turned her head and eyed her disbelievingly.

"Okay, you two don't get along but she doesn't hate you. And my family is going to love you"

Maybe _'love'_ was an overstatement.

In fact, Indra doesn't like many people and it is quite hard to earn her respect. And Anya...well she's just Anya. She wasn't about to say this to Clarke, though. The girl was nervous enough as it is.

"I hope so..."

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

Clarke marched towards the house, followed by her parents and rang the doorbell. A middle-aged woman who she assumed must be Lexa's mother opened the door.

"Jake and Abby, it's a pleasure to see you again"

"You too, Indra"

"And you must be Clarke" Indra nodded in her direction.

"That's correct. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Woods"

Clarke extended her hand but awkwardly retracted it when Indra didn't make any move to shake it.

When she entered the house, Lexa went to meet them. Clarke didn't give the girl a chance to speak before she grabbed her by the hand and pulled her away from the living room.

"Your mom hates me" she whispered.

"Clarke, you literally met her five seconds ago. Don't you think you're overreacting?"

"She didn't even shake my hand !" Clarke whispered loudly, covering her mouth with her hand  when she realized Indra could hear her.

"Give her some time. At least she let you in"

"What do you mean?"

"Sometimes, people don't even make it past the door" Lexa shrugged.

"Very reassuring" she mumbled as they went back in the living room.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

They were all seated when Anya showed up.

"What's up, blondie?" she said as she descended the stairs

"Uh...hi?" Clarke hesitantly replied, looking at Lexa for help.

"This is Anya, my sister. Ignore her. That's what I always do anyways" Lexa whispered.

"You love me, Lex. Stop denying it" Anya shot back, taking a seat at the table.

"You wish"

Clarke enjoyed seeing this playful side of the brunette. It had made an appearance a few times when she was around Lexa but it was still pretty rare.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

The dinner had began about an hour ago and everyone was now engaged in a conversation. Well, everyone except Anya who had been eyeing Clarke for most of the time, to the blonde's slight discomfort. Lexa was aware Anya was just being protective of her but she really wished she would stop staring at Clarke.

Apart from that, things were going pretty smoothly. At least until Jake thought it was an appropriate time to tell all kinds of embarrassing stories about young Clarke.

"Okay Dad, I think they've heard enough" she interrupted her dad as he started telling yet another story.

"Wait no, this one is the best" he said before launching into the story

"So you know how they have this space for children to play at McDonald's? Well, kids weren't allowed to take off their socks if they wanted to go play in it"

"Oh no" Clarke said as she recognized the story.

"So little Clarke here, in all her 4 year-old stubborness, refused to go on it with her socks"

At this point, Clarke was practically hiding under the table.

"We managed to convince her to keep them on and 5 minutes later, she came out of there in nothing but her socks"

The whole table erupted in laughter. Even Indra who, up until now, Clarke thought uncapable of expressing any feelings even remotely related to happiness.

Lexa took the blonde's hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. Though the grin didn't leave her face.

**_At least one of us is amused by the situation,_** Clarke thought.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Lexa was definitely enjoying herself. She looked at Anya and saw her smirking devilishly. She knew what that smirk meant. ** _Shit._**

"Well, I guess it's only fair I tell some embarrassing stories about Lexa, then" Anya cut through the laughter.

"Don't you dare" Lexa warned.

"Watch me, Commander"

Lexa let her head drop on the table with a loud thump. Clarke was quick to ask if she was okay, checking her forehead for any bruises. When she had made sure Lexa was fine, she turned towards Anya while resting her head in the palm of her right hand.

"Now, I really want to know where that nickname comes from" She said, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"You, traitor !" Lexa gasped.

"Hey, you got to know about the whole McDonald's story, I deserve to get something in return" Clarke defended.

"Blondie's right, Lex" Anya smirked at her "So let's jump right into it, shall we?"

"You are so dead" Lexa muttered under her breath.

Ignoring her sister's comment, Anya clasped her hands together and started speaking.

"So when Lexa was about 11, she was obsessed with history. Like really obsessed. Needless to say, when Lexie loves something, she goes all out. I mean, we're talking about the girl who could watch a 4 hour documentary about giant squids"

"It's interesting" Lexa mumbled, pouting.

"You're only proving my point, sis. Anyways, she had watched over a dozen documentaries and had gotten into her head that she was the rightful leader of a lost tribe. She legit spent three whole months commanding us around while wearing a long cape made of bed sheets"

"Okay, that's enough for today" Lexa announced while getting up. She grabbed Clarke's hand and led her towards the stairs.

"Where are you going, Lexa?" Indra asked.

"Just going to show my room to Clarke"

"Oh, is that what kids call it these days?" Anya and Jake said at the same time. Clarke groaned and followed a very red Lexa upstairs while Anya and Jake high-fived each other.

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

Lexa's room was different than what she had imagined. She had imagined Lexa's room to be pretty simplistic and in a way it was but the girl had added a few things to make it look less plain.

Her king size bed was facing the door. A window had been built in the ceiling allowing the brunette to lay on her bed at night and watch the stars. The walls were painted in white except for the one facing the window that was on the right wall, this one was themed with space, galaxies covering it. There was a big tree next to the window, pretty similar to those in all those cliche movies where the guy climbs it to sneak into the girl's room. Some science posters had been put up on the walls and a few picture frames hung above her bed. Some with Indra and Anya and some with a boy Clarke didn't recognize.

"That's Lincoln" Lexa said, catching Clarke looking at the pictures "he's Indra's son. He lived here before he went away for College"

"Do you see him often?"

"Every once in a while. He usually comes back home for Christmas. Maybe you'll get to meet him"

"Yeah, maybe" Clarke said while taking in the room "I love your room"

"Really?"

"Yeah...I don't know how to explain it but it's just...it's just so you"

Lexa laughed.

"How so?"

"Well, obviously all the scientific posters, you being a nerd and all" Lexa rolled her eyes at this "and also, it's so neat and just...makes me feel so relaxed" Clarke concluded as she slumped down onto Lexa's bed "I always wanted to have that" she said, pointing at the window in the ceiling "I mean, how fucking cool is that? You can literally watch the stars every night"

"It is pretty cool, indeed" Lexa agreed as she layed down next to Clarke. They stayed like this for a solid 20 minutes just looking at the ceiling and talking.

"We should head back downstairs" Clarke said before getting up.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

When they arrived downstairs, music was playing and Jake was dancing with Abby in the middle of the living room. The music changed and the first notes of _"I can't help falling in love with you"_ by Elvis Presley could be heard.

"May I have this dance?" Clarke asked, extending her hand.

"Oh, I don't know how to dance"

"This is a slow song, I think you'll be fine"

After a few seconds of hesitation, Lexa took the offered hand.

"Don't complain when I step on your toes"

"I won't" Clarke softly said while leading them to the improvised dancefloor.

> _< Like a river flows, surely to the sea>_

Clarke circled Lexa's waist with her arms while the brunette gently put hers on her shoulders and they started swaying to the music, maintaining eye contact with each other.

> _< Darling so it goes>_

Clarke tightened her hold and traced light circles on the small of Lexa's back.

> _< Some things are meant to be> _

She rested her head on Lexa's shoulder and the brunette pressed a kiss to the crown of her head.

> _< Take my hand>_

They were completely entranced with each other and didn't notice Jake and Abby had stopped dancing and were now fondly watching them.

> _< Take my whole life too>_

Clarke raised her head from Lexa's neck. Her eyes shifted between Lexa's eyes and her lips.

Before she could do something that might ruin this moment, Lexa got closer and pressed her forehead against Clarke's, whispering the next lyrics.

> _< For I can't help, falling in love with you>_

Clarke could feel her heart beating fast and hoped Lexa wasn't able to hear it.

> _< Like a river flows>_

Jake had come back to the table and was now speaking with Anya, occasionally glancing at the two girls who were still stuck in the little bubble they had created.

> _< Surely to the sea>_

"I don't think I've ever seen Anya have so much fun at a family gathering" Lexa said, keeping their foreheads connected. Clarke could feel her warm breath on her face.

> _< Darling so it goes>_

"She just spent most of the evening talking with my father" Clarke pointed out, detaching her forehead from Lexa's.

> _< Some things are meant to be> _

"Exactly. She usually just hides in a corner and eyes people judgmentally"

> _< Take my hand>_

They both laughed and Clarke went back to her previous position.

> _< Take my whole life too> _

"Thank you, Clarke" Lexa murmured.

> _< For I can't help falling in love with you>_

"What for?"

"Everything"

Clarke wanted to kiss her. She felt her resolve crumble under the brunette's stare.

> _< For I can't help falling in love with you>_

As the final notes of the melody played through the house, she edged closer and saw Lexa leaning in too. _She forgot about everything._ She forgot all the reasons why this was a bad idea. She forgot about the other people in the room. Her thoughts were filled with Lexa.

Their lips were only an inch away now, all it would take was a small movement to close the distance, only a small-

"Hey, blondie !" Anya interrupted them.

Clarke had to repress a groan but deep down, she knew it was probably for the best.

She detached herself from Lexa and noticed the flush on the girl's cheeks. She turned to look at Anya who seemed completely unaware of the moment she had just broken. Though it was probably obvious what had been going on.

"Uh yeah?" Clarke asked, still a bit dazed.

"Can I speak with you for a minute?"

"Sure, yeah" she looked at Lexa who was avoiding her stare "I'll be right back"

Lexa nodded and headed towards the bathroom.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

_**Fuck. Fuck. Fuck,**_ Lexa thought as she splashed water on her face.

She felt guilty. She had almost kissed her best friend. Hell, she was going to do it if Anya hadn't interrupted them. She couldn't do this. She couldn't ruin her friendship with Clarke by letting her feelings interfere.

She thought she had seen Clarke leaning in but she must have imagined it. She would just have to keep acting like nothing happened. _ **It's only awkward if you make it awkward,**_ she reasoned.

She stepped out of the bathroom and went to find Clarke who had gone outside with Anya.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

"I'll be honest, I actually like you and I think you're good for Lexa" Anya spoke up after a few moments of silence.

Clarke listened intently, not sure what Anya was going to say.

"But it is my duty as her big sister to warn you that if you _ever_ hurt her, I will personally make sure you don't live to see another day" she said while keeping a neutral expression.

"I understand" Clarke replied, trying to keep her composure "I can promise you that I do not plan on ever hurting Lexa" she assured her.

"Good" Anya simply said before walking away.

The glass door opened. Lexa slipped out and joined her in the small terrace.

Clarke tried not to think about what almost happened a few minutes ago and instead, focused on what her best friend was saying.

"So what did she want?"

"Oh she just threatened to kill me if I ever hurt you" Clarke said nonchalantly.

Lexa winced.

"Sorry about that. Wait. Did she scare you?"

"I am fucking terrified of her" Clarke admitted.

Lexa laughed.

"Yeah, Anya tends to have that effect on people. Come on, let's go back inside. You'll get cold if you stay out here"

 

 

\------------------

 

 

The evening was coming to an end. Jake and Abby were already in the car, waiting for Clarke.

"So I'll see you on Monday?" Clarke said while stepping outside.

"Yeah" Lexa whispered.

"Okay, well I'm going to go" Clarke announced "bye" she softly said before going down the few steps that separated the house from the sidewalk. She couldn't help but feel she had ruined everything by almost kissing the brunette.

"Clarke, wait !" Lexa blurted out.

Clarke turned around just in time to see Lexa running towards her and before she could react, she was pulled into a tight hug.

"I had a really nice time, tonight" Lexa whispered, burying her head in Clarke's neck, breathing the girl in.

Clarke pulled Lexa even closer, their bodies fitting together like two pieces of a puzzle.

"Me too"

Lexa was the first to pull away. She softly kissed Clarke's cheek and headed back inside, smiling warmly at the blonde one last time before closing the door.

Clarke got into her car, smiling, relieved that she hadn't ruined their friendship because quite honestly, she valued it more than anything and she just couldn't imagine a life without Lexa in it.

 

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a tiny bit of angst in this chapter but it's all resolved in the end, don't worry ;)

 

 

School had started again a week ago and things were pretty much the same as before. Finn was still an asshole, Octavia and Raven were trying hard to get back in Clarke's good graces, Bellamy was avoiding Clarke and Lexa like the plague, not that they were complaining about it, and Luna was relentlessy flirting with Lexa, much to Clarke's distaste. At least they were done with Miss Niylah's assignment so Luna didn't really have a good reason to be around Lexa.

They hadn't talked about the almost kiss. Both thinking the other had simply forgotten about it. Their friendship had returned to normal or as normal as it can be considering they both had to repress their feelings whenever they were around each other which was almost all the time.

In the corner of her eye, Lexa saw Octavia and Raven approaching them.

"Do you want me to tell them to go away?" Lexa asked, knowing Clarke wasn't ready to speak with them yet.

"No, it's fine. Thank you though" the blonde answered.

"Hey Clarke !" Octavia said.

Clarke took a big breath before facing them.

"Look guys, I'm not ready to forgive you and I can't just act like you're my friends again because you're not. I appreciate what you have done so far but I need more time. I'm sorry"

"Oh yeah, it's fine...we get it...see you later maybe" Raven sadly said.

Once they were gone, Lexa turned to look at Clarke.

"You need to stop doing that"

"Doing what?" Clarke asked, confused.

"Apologizing for things that are not your fault"

"I- I know but...they're really trying and I feel bad for blowing them off every time..."

"Stop right here" Lexa said, placing a hand on Clarke's forearm to gain her full attention " _they_ messed up. Not you. Now _they_ have to wait for you to be ready and if you're not, then you're not. Just because they are trying really hard doesn't mean you have to feel forced to forgive them. You go at your own pace and they follow. That's how it should be"

"You're right...thank you"

"Of course"

"So..I meant to ask you...there's this party at Miller's on Friday and I was wondering if you wanted to go with me" Clarke shyly asked.

"Oh uh...I don't really like parties..."

"If you really don't want to, it's fine but I'll stay with you the whole time. And no alcohol, I promise"

Lexa thought about it for a few seconds. She had never been to a party before, had never seen the appeal but if Clarke wanted to go, maybe she could make an effort.

"Okay"

"Okay?"

"Yeah"

"Thank you, Lex" Clarke wrapped her arms around her friend and held her tightly.

Someone cleared her voice and they separated. Luna was standing in front of them, staring at Lexa, completely ignoring Clarke.

Clarke audibly groaned and Lexa threw her a look that meant _'be nice'_. Clarke rolled her eyes but kept quiet and forced a smile on her face.

"Hello, Luna" Lexa greeted the girl.

"Hi ! So I know you couldn't make it last time" at this she subtly glared at Clarke "so I wanted to ask you again if you wanted to go to the movies with me this weekend. Maybe we could get something to eat after?" She asked.

**_Did she....did she just ask Lexa out right in front of me? The nerve. Who does she think she-_ **

"Yeah, sure" Lexa interrupted Clarke's train of thoughts.

"Great ! I'll text you the details !" Luna cheerfully said before walking away, a light bounce in her steps.

Clarke's heart shattered. _Lexa had said yes._ Lexa was going on a date with Luna. Suddenly she wanted to be anywhere but here. She turned on her heels and headed outside, climbing the stairs leading to hers and Lexa's spot. She sat on the ground and wiped furiously at the few tears that escaped her eyes. She had no right to feel like that. She had waited too long and now she had lost her chance. If she had to blame someone, it would be herself.

She pulled her knees up to her chest and buried her face in them, trying to contain the sobs that wracked through her body. She heard footsteps and didn't have to look up to know who it was. Lexa sat next to her and took her hand in hers.

"Clarke, what's wrong?" Lexa gently asked and Clarke wanted to cry even more because Lexa was just _so_ kind.

She couldn't remember a single moment where the brunette had put herself first. She proved it again this morning by accepting to go to the party with Clarke even though it was clear she wasn't thrilled about it. Lexa was the kindest and most caring person Clarke had ever met. So no, Clarke couldn't keep her best friend from dating Luna. If that's what she wanted to do, as much as it broke her heart, Clarke would have to let her.

She lifted her head and tried to put on a brave face.

"Nothing, I'm fine. It's just the stress, I guess" she lied.

Lexa could see right through her, though. She cradled Clarke's face and looked straight into her eyes.

"I know this is a lie and I won't ask for the truth but I'm here if you want to talk"

Clarke broke into tears and Lexa pulled her against her chest and held her until the blonde's sobs subsided.

"I'm sorry" Clarke sniffed.

"Don't be"

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

Lexa had noticed the change in Clarke's behaviour. After what happened on the rooftop, the blonde seemed more distant.

She had watched Lexa's first soccer practice and had cheered for her but it all seemed a bit hollow. The car ride to Lexa's place had been silent but it was not the comfortable silence they were used to. This silence was heavy.

When she had parked in front of Lexa's house, Clarke had been gripping the steering wheel tightly, staring straight ahead and had barely moved when Lexa kissed her cheek before getting out of the car. She had simply let out a small _'see you tomorrow'_ and drove away.

Lexa didn't know what to do. She didn't want to upset Clarke by asking what was going on but she felt like she had no choice.

She sighed and dropped on her bed.

Anya popped her head through the door which was slightly ajar.

"Everything okay?" She asked, slightly concerned.

"Yes. No. I don't know" Lexa said throwing her arms in the air in frustration "I just...Clarke has been acting weird recently"

"Weird how?" Anya asked, sitting on the bed.

"She's not really avoiding me but when she's with me, it's like she's not really there...and I have no idea why"

"When has this started?"

Lexa frowned, replaying the events of that day in her mind.

"She asked me if I wanted to go to a party, which I accepted"

"The Great Alexandria Woods is going to a party?" Anya teased.

"Anya, this is serious" Lexa sighed running a hand through her hair.

"You're right, sorry, continue" she apologized.

"And then Luna asked me if I wanted to hang out and I said yes and then Clarke just left, without a word and she was crying and-"

"Wait. What kind of _'hang out'_ are we talking about here?" Anya raised an eyebrow.

"Uh...she said we would go to the movies and eat something after but what does this have to do with any of it?" Lexa asked, not understanding why her sister would ask her that.

"Really, Lexa? A movie and a dinner? Congrats, you got a date" Lexa's eyes widened "though seeing your face right now, I don't think this is a good thing..."

"A date?! Wait, no...this is just a friendly hang out, right?" Anya just raised an eyebrow "....shit. Did I accidently agree to go on a date with Luna?"

"Looks like you did, sis" Anya laughed because really this is precious.

Lexa facepalmed and then looked up, frowning. "I still don't see what this has to do with Clarke's odd behaviour"

It was Anya's turn to facepalm.

"Oh Lexa, I don't understand how you can be so smart and yet so stupid" she said before leaving.

"What does that even mean?" Lexa asked, frustrated.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

Clarke went to pick up Lexa and she silently drove them to the party. Lexa wanted to have a talk with the blonde but it would be impossible to do so with plenty of drunk teenagers around. She would have to wait for the party to die down. She considered starting a conversation on their way there but Miller's house was only a 5 minute drive away. That wasn't nearly enough time for Lexa to get an explanation.

Clarke parked the car and they both got out. Lexa hesitantly brushed her hand against Clarke's and smiled when the blonde intertwined their fingers.

They were greeted by an already very inebriated Miller.

"Heyyy, come on in!"

Inside, the party was going full swing, music blaring through the speakers and sweaty bodies dancing in the middle of the living room where furnitures had been rearranged to make room.

In the garden, some people were gathered around a game of beer pong where Raven was clearly beating a very drunk Octavia.

Clarke's presence next to her helped a bit but Lexa still felt out of place. She went to lead them somewhere a bit more quiet but someone grabbed the hand that wasn't linked to Clarke's.

"Lexxxaaa !" Luna slurred "you're here !" She wrapped an arm around Lexa's waist and kissed her cheek.

Lexa tried to free herself from the girl but her grip was too tight. Clarke pulled her hand away from Lexa's and started to walk away.

"Clarke? Where are you going?" Lexa asked.

"Just going to get some air, it's fine" she said, looking away "you can stay with Luna" she mumbled before leaving them.

"Clarke !" Lexa called after her.

She finally managed to detach Luna's hand from her hip and tried going after the blonde but Luna tugged on her arm, forcefully leading her to the dance floor.

Lexa tried to find Clarke in the crowd but she was nowhere to be seen. Lexa sighed in defeat.

Luna kept getting closer, pressing her body against Lexa's and the brunette was starting to feel uncomfortable. It was all wrong. She didn't want to dance with Luna. The only person she wanted to dance with was Clarke. And she had left.

She gently pushed Luna away.

"I'm sorry, Luna. I can't" she apologized.

"Whyy? Is it because of that blonde bitch?" Luna slurred, frowning.

As much as Luna's words angered Lexa, she knew she had to remain somewhat calm. The girl was clearly drunk and didn't have total control over her words.

"Don't you dare call her that" she harshly said before walking away to search for Clarke.

She asked around if anyone had seen her but it seemed she had vanished. Lexa went up the stairs and checked each room, silently praying no one was having sex in one of them. She opened the last door of the floor and found the blonde on the bed, tears running down her cheeks.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Clarke was in the kitchen and from there she had a good view of the living room. _Of Lexa_. Lexa who Luna was currently pressed against.

She couldn't handle it. She threw her cup of beer in the trash can and went upstairs, missing Lexa pushing Luna away. She opened the door to the last room of the floor and sat down on the bed, crying, not bothering to turn on the lights.

 _She_ had done that. _She_ had pushed Lexa towards Luna and now there was nothing she could do about it.

The room was dark and peaceful, Clarke's sobs breaking through the silence. That calm was broken when the door opened and a slim figure slipped inside.

"Clarke?" Lexa called softly.

Clarke didn't answer and Lexa got closer, sitting on the bed in front of Clarke.

"No, don't cry, what's wrong?" Lexa asked, wiping her tears away.

"I'm so sorry" Clarke murmured.

"Sorry? Clarke, I don't understand. What do you mean?"

Lexa was confused now. **_Is it about something I said or done? Is it about something else?_**

"I'm sorry....I'm an idiot...you should go back to Luna" Clarke told her, trying to control the flow of her tears to no avail.

"What? No, Clarke I'm not going anywhere" Lexa stated, taking both of the blonde's hands in hers "whatever it is, you can tell me"

"No, no I c-can't" Clarke rapidly shook her head "I can't do this to you. I can't ruin our friendship"

"What do you mean Clarke? Why would it ruin our friendship?"

"Because I love you!!" Clarke blurted out, her voice cracking on the last word.

There it was. Those three words they had exchanged a few times but that could now make or break her relationship with Lexa. She had kept her feelings bottled up for so long and now she couldn't hide them anymore.

Lexa frowned "I know Clarke, I love you too but what does this have to do with anything?"

Clarke let out a sad laugh because _of course_ she would have to spell it out for Lexa.

"No, Lexa....I'm in love with you..."

Lexa's eyes widened considerably and her mouth slightly opened. Clarke continued speaking, needing to let it all out.

"I'm in love with you and I'm so sorry to drop this on you but I can't keep it in anymore because it kills me to see you with someone that isn't me" Clarke finally said, tears falling freely.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

**_Clarke is in love with me. Clarke Griffin, an actual goddess, is in love with me, the weird introvert nerd._ **

Lexa was stunned. She couldn't form any coherent sentences. Her mouth was open in shock as she stared at the blonde.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Clarke took Lexa's silence as a rejection. She quickly wiped her tears as new ones already formed in the corner of her eyes and ran out of the room, muttering _'I'm so sorry'_   over and over again.

"Clarke ! Wait !" She heard Lexa call out for her but ignored it. She climbed into her car and drove away, wishing she had never told Lexa how she felt.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

After getting over the shock the blonde's confession had caused, Lexa ran after her. She was about to catch up with the blonde when a hand grabbed her arm.

A much more sober Luna looked up at her apologetically.

"Look, Lexa I'm sorry for earlier and-"

"I don't have time for this, Luna" Lexa cut her off.

Maybe she should have felt bad for being so rude to the girl but she had something much more important to do. She heard the sound of a car in the distance and ran out of the house. Clarke's car was already turning at the end of the street.

"Fuck" Lexa muttered.

She grabbed her jacket which she had left on the sofa and set off on a run towards Clarke's house.

It took her nearly ten minutes to get there. She took one more minute to get her breathing back to normal.

Considering it was almost 1 AM, she softly knocked on the door, not wanting to wake up Clarke's parents. In the 20 seconds it took Clarke to get to the door, Lexa started to realize she had not thought this through. She had no idea what she was going to say.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Clarke was getting ready for bed. She felt exhausted. She had cried all the way back and her tears were only now subsiding.

She heard a soft knock on the door. She looked at the time on her phone and frowned. It was 12.45 AM. **_Who would knock at her door this late?_**

When she opened the door, Lexa was standing there. She looked beautiful. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and the street lamp was illuminating the left side of her face. Clarke was about to ask her why she was here but Lexa didn't give her the chance to speak. The brunette stepped closer, gently grabbed her face and locked their lips in a soft kiss.

It took Clarke a few seconds to realize what was happening and when she did, she pressed her lips more firmly against Lexa's. She brought one hand to the brunette's hair and placed the other on Lexa's hip, pulling the girl closer to her, needing to feel her, needing to make sure this was really happening.

Lexa's lips were soft as they moved against her own. They stayed like this until the need for air forced them to separate. Lexa kept Clarke close and pressed their foreheads together, their eyes still closed.

"I'm in love with you too, Clarke" she whispered into the quiet of the night.

Clarke reconnected their lips for a brief kiss then pulled the girl inside and wrapped her in a tight hug.

"I love you so much" she whispered, a tear escaping her right eye.

Lexa pulled away from the hug to look into the eyes she fell in love with on her first day of class.

"I'm sorry for not telling you sooner" she apologized.

"Lexa" Clarke called softly.

"I really wanted to, you know. I was scared, I think" Lexa kept speaking.

"Lexa" Clarke repeated.

"And I'm sorry about Luna and everyth-"

Clarke interrupted her by joining their lips once again.

"Shut up and kiss me"

And Lexa did just that, happiness coursing through her body. The kiss was a little awkward because they couldn't stop smiling through it but they didn't care. They were finally together.

That night they fell asleep in each other's arms, confessing their love for each other over and over again.

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 10. And Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate it :)

 

 

Clarke woke up before Lexa. She propped herself up on her elbow, her head resting on her palm and watched the sleeping girl next to her.

The past week had been a roller coaster of emotions for Clarke but she wouldn't change a thing about it because it led them to what happened last night.

 ** _Last night_ ,** Clarke reminisced, a content smile plastered on her face.

Clarke had first been devastated when she had seen Lexa with Luna. She usually wasn't a very jealous person but then again, she had never loved anyone the way she loves Lexa.

And then there had been the kiss. It had been perfect, better than anything she could have imagined. She smiled at the memory.

She lightly traced Lexa's jawline with her fingertips and bent down to kiss the tip of her nose. Lexa scrunched up her nose adorably and her eyes fluttered open.

"Hey, beautiful" Clarke softly said.

Lexa blinked a few times to chase the sleepiness away, closed her eyes and puckered up her lips. Clarke laughed and dipped her head to place a kiss on awaiting lips.

"Would you go on a date with me?" Clarke blurted out when she pulled away from the kiss.

Lexa pretended to debate the answer to the question for a few seconds, humming pensively. Clarke lightly smacked her shoulder, feigning being offended and Lexa laughed. She then placed her hand behind Clarke's neck, pulling her down for another kiss.

"I'd love to go on a date with you, Clarke"

"Is tonight alright?" Clarke asked, closing her eyes.

"Tonight sounds perfect" Lexa whispered against her lips before kissing her again.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

They had been laying in bed together for a couple hours, talking about how stupid they had been for not seeing what was right in front of them the whole time.

"I can't believe you accidently agreed to go on a date with Luna" Clarke let out a full-blown laugh.

"Stop laughing, Clarke" Lexa pouted.

Clarke kissed her to remove the pout from her face and brushed away a strand of hair that had escaped Lexa's bun.

She let out a small sigh and frowned slightly.

"I really thought you wanted to go on a date with her, you know..." Clarke admitted.

"I know...and I'm sorry. I only want you, I promise"

Clarke hummed and rested her head on Lexa's chest. Lexa slightly moved her head to leave a kiss on the top of her head. She put an arm around Clarke's back, pulling her closer, her hand resting on the blonde's waist.

"Wanna watch a movie?" Clarke asked.

"Yeah, okay" Lexa agreed.

"A Disney movie?" Clarke knowingly asked.

"Do you really have to ask?"

"No, I guess I don't" Clarke said. She then pressed play on the movie and smiled up at her... ** _was Lexa her girlfriend?_** It was kind of implied but they hadn't really made it official.

Clarke paused the movie and moved from Lexa's arms to a sitting position in front of the brunette, legs crossed. Lexa sat up and looked at her questioningly.

"Lex...will you be my girlfriend?" Clarke nervously asked.

Deep down, she knew Lexa would say yes but there was still a part of her that couldn't believe all of this was real.

"God, yes"

Lexa pulled her in for a kiss. It started chaste but soon turned more heated as Clarke's tongue licked Lexa's lower lip, begging for entrance which Lexa granted. Lexa's hands flew to Clarke's hair, pressing her lips harder against the blonde's.

As she changed the angle of the kiss. Clarke's arms wrapped around Lexa's waist, moving the girl onto her lap, not an inch of space left between their bodies.

A knock on the door interrupted their impromptu makeout session. They jumped away from each other and quickly rearranged their hair and their clothes before Jake slightly opened the door.

"Clarke, I was- oh Lexa, hi !" He said.

He was a bit surprised to see Lexa here. He had noticed Lexa not eating at their house anymore over the past week and figured something must have happened between the two of them. However, when he had tried to ask Clarke about it, she had brushed it off and had locked herself in her room for the rest of the evening. He was glad things seemed to be back to normal now.

"I was just going to tell Clarke that breakfast was ready. You are welcome to join us if you'd like" Jake offered.

"Thank you, Jake"

He smiled at her, nodded once and then closed the door.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

"I want to tell our families" Lexa said when they regained Clarke's room after breakfast.

It had been hard to keep her hands to herself in the presence of Jake but she also didn't know where Clarke stood in the matter. She knew, however, that if Clarke wanted to keep it a secret, that's what she would do. As long as she got to be with Clarke, she was happy.

"I do too" Clarke admitted "but after our date tonight. And I think we should tell them all together, it would be easier"

"I think so too"

"Ok, now I need you to leave because I got a date to plan" Clarke said.

"Trying to get rid of me, huh?" Lexa joked.

"Trust me, I would much rather just lay down with you again but it'll be worth it" Clarke assured her.

"Fine" Lexa relented "I'll see you tonight"

Clarke hummed and pecked her on the lips

"I'll pick you up at seven. No need to dress fancy or anything"

"I can't wait" Lexa told her before kissing her once again and leaving the house.

She was thankful Clarke didn't plan on bringing her to a fancy restaurant. She knew the Griffins were pretty well off and even though Lexa's family wasn't poor, they weren't exactly rich either. Luxurious restaurants were not something Lexa was used to and she probably wouldn't feel comfortable there.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

It was 6.30 PM and Lexa didn't know what to wear. She had thought about asking Anya for advice and then remembered they had agreed on not telling anyone until after the date. So now, she was stuck in front of her wardrobe, trying to decide on an outfit.

Eventually she settled on a simple long-sleeved red shirt and black jeans. She put on her black leather jacket and applied light makeup.

She checked her watch.

**6.50 PM**

That left her ten minutes to kill before Clarke picked her up.

The rush of getting ready being over, the nerves settled back in. She didn't know why she was nervous. This was her best friend. They had hung out together so many times already. **_But it is not a simple hang out this time,_** her brain reminded her.

It was all new and being Clarke's girlfriend was the best thing that's ever happened to her. She didn't want to mess it up.

She checked the time again.

**7.00 PM**

As if on cue, the doorbell rang.

 _ **Right on time,**_ Lexa thought. She inhaled deeply and moved to answer the door. Thankfully, Anya and Indra weren't home so they wouldn't ask questions about where she was going.

She opened the door and took a moment to take in the sight in front of her. Clarke looked beautiful.

Her blonde locks fell freely over her shoulders. She was wearing black pants and a black shirt with quite a bit of cleavage. Over her shirt, she wore a red plaid shirt, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows and her smile was radiant.

"You look beautiful, Clarke" Lexa said, trying to tear her gaze away from Clarke's chest (and failing).

"You don't look too bad yourself" she said "eyes are up here" she added playfully. She really wasn't mad at Lexa for staring. After all, she had put on that shirt for a reason.

Lexa blushed and brought her eyes back to Clarke's face.

"Sorry" she mumbled.

Clarke just laughed and took Lexa's hand in hers, pulling her outside.

After Lexa locked the door behind her, Clarke intertwined their fingers and led them to her car. Once inside, Clarke joined their hands again and brought them to her lips to kiss the back of Lexa's hand. She then started driving them to the restaurant she had picked for their date.

They arrived in front of The Ark. It was a pretty popular restaurant amongst students of Arkadia High.

Clarke got out of the car and swiftly went on the other side of it to open the passenger door for Lexa. Lexa thanked her with a kiss and they went inside, hands linked.

Clarke had reserved a booth at the far end of the restaurant, where it was more quiet. They took their seats and a waiter, probably not older than 18, approached them.

"Welcome to The Ark, here are the menus. I'll be back when you are ready to order" he said, keeping his eyes on Clarke the whole time, which Lexa noticed but decided not to comment on.

When the waiter came back, he was yet again only looking at Clarke, better yet, he kept looking at her chest. Lexa loudly cleared her throat and he looked at her for the first time since they arrived.

They placed their order, Lexa glaring at the boy the whole time which he didn't seem to notice as he kept shamelessy flirting with Clarke.

"Okay that's enough, Justin" Lexa interrupted him after reading his nametag while he was telling Clarke about their _'vast selection of wine'_. _**Even his name sounds stupid,** _ Lexa bitterly thought "we got it from here, you can go"

"Umm yeah sure, tell me if you need anything else" he said, throwing a wink at Clarke. Lexa rolled her eyes and looked back at Clarke who was trying to hide her amused grin behind her glass.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

"Something wrong, Lex?"

Clarke knew exactly what was wrong. She just wanted to see how far Lexa's jealousy would go. She had never liked it when people were overly possessive but with Lexa, she found it endearing.

"Nothing" Lexa mumbled, taking a sip of her drink. Clarke lightly chuckled and took the brunette's hand in her own, linking their fingers over the table.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Either the waiter was really stupid or he just didn't care because the next time he approached them, it was with a drink for Clarke. _'On the house'_ he had said with the most charming smile he could manage before leaving again.

Lexa had had enough and as soon as she caught the waiter looking at them from afar, she grabbed Clarke's face and kissed her, interrupting her mid-sentence. Clarke didn't seem to mind as she brought one hand to Lexa's hair and deepened the kiss.

In the distance, the waiter's eyes grew twice their size as he watched it all unfold. He blushed profusely and quickly left the room.

They separated and took a few seconds to catch their breath, foreheads pressed together

"Wow" Clarke finally let out.

"I'm so sorry, Clarke. I don't know what came over me..." Lexa quickly apologized, thinking she had overstepped.

"Lexa, it's fine" Clarke reassured her "you're hot when you're jealous"

"I'm not jealous" Lexa denied, trying not to think too much about the fact that Clarke called her _'hot'_.

"Sure, you're not" Clarke smiled and kissed her hand "For the record, you don't have to be. I love you. I don't want to be with anyone else"

Lexa smiled at that and squeezed Clarke's hand, lightly brushing her thumb against the back of it.

"I love you too"

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

The dinner was coming to an end and they were about to go. All that was left to do was pay the bill and leave. Lexa took her purse from her handbag and looked through her money when a hand stopped her.

"Do you seriously think I'm going to let you pay for this?" Clarke asked, raising an eyebrow, and grabbed her own purse to retrieve money from it.

"But-"

"Nope, no ' _but'_. I asked you out on a date so I pay" Clarke cut her off, leaving no room for discussion.

Lexa pouted and slumped back in her seat. Clarke laughed and poked the tip of her nose before turning in her seat to call the waiter. Before she could do it, someone stopped at their table and they both looked up to see who it was.

_Finn Collins. **Fuck.** _

They both got up and Clarke protectively placed herself in front of Lexa.

"Would you look at this. If it isn't Clarke and the dyke"

Lexa clenched her fists behind Clarke.

"Finn, leave us alone" Clarke warned.

"Or what? She's gonna hit me?" He said nodding at Lexa "She can't protect you for shit".

"Shut the fuck up, Finn" Clarke snarled.

"Oooh I get it, now. You're a dyke too, right? What a shame, a fine piece of ass like that wasted becau-"

Lexa punched him square in the jaw, sending him to the ground. She left a tip for the trouble she caused, grabbed Clarke's hand and quickly left the restaurant, anger coursing through her veins, ignoring Finn yelling at her to _'come back and fight'._

Once outside, she breathed deeply a few times to calm herself and turned to check if Clarke was okay. She put both hands on her face and looked straight into her eyes.

"Are you okay?"

Clarke nodded but tears started to form in her eyes.

"Clarke?" Lexa asked with concern "what's wrong?"

"I just...I wanted this date to be perfect and I... c-can't believe he ruined it. I'm so sorry" she said.

Lexa slowly kissed each tear away and looked back into Clarke's eyes.

"Clarke, this date is perfect. It's perfect because I'm with you" she said, brushing away the last of Clarke's tears.

Clarke wrapped her in a hug.

"I love you" she whispered in Lexa's hair.

"I love you too, Clarke" Lexa whispered back, tightening her hold on her waist.

She then took Clarke's hand and walked them towards her car. She opened the passenger door for Clarke. The girl looked at her and furrowed her brows.

"Just trust me" she told the blonde.

Clarke nodded and climbed into the passenger seat. Lexa took the driver's seat and started the car. She drove them up a hill and stopped the car once she reached the top.

She looked in the truck and found what she was looking for. She took a blanket out of the truck and walked a few meters before putting it on the ground, laying on it and motioning for Clarke to join her.

The blonde layed beside her and Lexa linked their fingers. It was already pretty late and they could see the stars shining in the sky.

"I used to come here with Anya when we were little. We would lay here and watch the stars until it became too late and we had to come back home"

"It's beautiful" Clarke said, looking up at the sky.

"It really is" Lexa said, not detaching her eyes from Clarke's face. From her pink lips, slightly curved upwards, her butt chin which Lexa found adorable and her blue eyes currently filled with awe and wonderment.

"You're staring" Clarke said.

"You're beautiful" Lexa replied.

Clarke shifted her gaze from the stars and looked into emerald green eyes.

"Thank you for bringing me here" she whispered.

Lexa moved so she was closer to Clarke and softly kissed her. She brought her arm around Clarke and the blonde shifted closer, resting her head on Lexa's chest. The brunette placed her chin on the top of Clarke's head and traced circles in the small of her back with her index finger.

They had been like this for a few minutes when Clarke shivered.

"You're cold" Lexa stated "we should go back home"

"I don't want to leave yet" Clarke said.

Lexa sat up, took off her jacket and offered it to Clarke

"Here" she said.

"But then you'll be cold" Clarke said, frowning.

"Just take the jacket" Lexa told her.

Clarke sat up as well and reluctantly put on Lexa's leather jacket. Lexa moved behind her and wrapped her arms around her midsection, Clarke sitting between her legs. The blonde relaxed in her arms, her back pressed against Lexa's front.

It was slowly getting really late so they put the blanket back in the truck and Clarke drove Lexa back to her house.

"Do you wanna stay the night?" Lexa shyly asked.

"Already? Damn Woods, moving fast" Clarke joked except it didn't have the desired effect. Lexa now looked very small as she diverted her gaze and pressed her lips together.

"I didn't- I didn't mean it like that" Lexa said and a tear escaped her eye.

"Oh no, I know. I'm sorry I was just joking" Clarke quickly apologized "I'm sorry, don't cry, please" she said and wrapped her arms around the girl.

"It's fine...I'm an idiot...it's stupid" Lexa told her wiping at a few tears.

"I'm sure it's not" Clarke reassured her.

"Can we go inside first?" Lexa asked.

"Sure"

 

 

                                     ----------------

 

 

After they got ready for bed, they layed face to face on Lexa's bed. Neither of them spoke for a few minutes until Lexa broke the silence.

"Her name was Costia.."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boom, cliffhanger haha (sorry)  
> Next chapter should be up within the next two days so you won't have to wait too long


	11. Chapter 11

 

 

"Her name was Costia..."

Clarke nodded at her, a wordless encouragement to continue, and stared at her in silence, giving Lexa her undivided attention.

"I met her at my old school, Mount Weather. She was one of the popular kids. She approached me at the end of class one day and started talking to me, asking me a whole lot of questions. And then she kept talking to me, everyday. I was thrilled that the most popular girl in school wanted to talk with me. I was so stupid"

Lexa could see Clarke wanted to protest but she stopped the blonde with a shake of her head. Instead, Clarke grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.

"She would flirt with me all the time. At first I thought I was imagining it but she became more forward. One day, I was at her house and she kissed me. She asked me to be her girlfriend and I accepted. Everything was going perfectly well. She was everything I could have ever asked for. I fell in love with her very quickly and when I told her she told me she felt the same way. And I...I believed her" Lexa took a big breath before speaking again "It was a couple weeks later that she started pressuring me into having sex with her. I refused, telling her I wasn't ready but she wouldn't let it go"

Clarke kissed the palm of Lexa's hand and Lexa smiled at her. Telling this story was still a bit painful but having Clarke there made it easier.

"She would always try to start things and when I refused each time, she'd get upset and leave. One day, after we had been dating for over a month, I guess she just had had enough of waiting for me to be ready...she broke up with me" Lexa revealed, a tear escaping her eye which Clarke quickly wiped away.

 

 

_\--One year ago--_

 

 

Costia barged into Lexa's room and started picking up the stuff she had left in it.

"Babe? What are you doing?" Lexa asked, confused.

"What does it look like? I'm leaving you. We're done" Costia said nonchalantly not bothering to look at Lexa.

Lexa stopped moving as Costia's words registered in her mind. **_She's breaking up with me?_ **

"What do you mean? What happened? I don't understand" Lexa let out through a shaky voice.

"Oh don't play dumb and please don't start crying. I hate that sound"

Lexa felt her whole world shatter. This was not the Costia she knew. This was not the girl she had been dating for the past month and a half, the girl she fell in love with, the girl who told her she loved her back.

The girl that was now standing in front of her was cold, insensitive. This had to be a nightmare because her Costia would _never_ do this.

"Why are you doing this?" Lexa asked, her body shaking as tears fell down her cheeks.

"It's pretty simple really" Costia shrugged "I don't care about you. At all. That's why I'm doing this. I have wasted enough of my time already"

"B-But you...you said that y-you loved me" Lexa didn't understand where all of this was coming from.

"Yeah, well I lied" Costia said as if it was no big deal "consider yourself my lesbian experiment but seeing as you won't even have sex with me, I guess I'll have to go look for some other dyke who will be willing to do it" she added, collecting the last of her stuff.

Lexa fell to her knees, sobbing, as she watched Costia leave the room. **_How could she have been so stupid? Had she been so blinded by love that she didn't see what was right in front of her?_ **

She had been wrapped up in this little bubble of happiness for nearly two months and she was now brutally brought back to reality. And the reality was that she had been fooled. She had let herself believe all the promises Costia made. She had let herself fall in love and ended up with a broken heart. She felt worthless.

The only consolation she had was that she didn't cave in and accept to have sex with Costia because it would have worsened her humiliation if she had lost her virginity to someone like her. If she was afraid to be intimate with someone before, this only heightened her fear.

The next day, posters similar to Bellamy's were plastered all over the school walls. In the hallways, in the classrooms, even in the cafeteria. She didn't have to ask to know that Costia was responsible for it.

That's when the bullying really started. And it never stopped. Kids had started getting violent and her only way out had been to change schools.

 

 

_\--Back to present time--_

 

 

Clarke had moved to hold the crying girl. She wanted to just wrap her arms around Lexa and protect her from the world. She remained silent in case Lexa hadn't finished speaking. And indeed, the brunette had something else to say.

"And I-I guess I freaked out a bit earlier because the joke you made reminded me of that and I...I'm sorry" she apologized.

"No, Lexa, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for making that stupid joke and I'm sorry for what you've been through" she pulled away from the embrace and started caressing Lexa's cheek "I want you to know that I would never pressure you into doing anything"

"I know, Clarke" Lexa sniffed, finding solace in the blonde's words.

"Also I will punch that bitch if I ever see her"

Her tone was playful but the threat was real. If she ever crossed paths with Costia, she wouldn't hesitate to make her pay for all the pain she put Lexa through.

Lexa chuckled a bit.

"Thank you, Clarke"

This wasn't just a _thank you_ for having Lexa's back, this was also a _thank you_ for listening, a _thank you_ for being so understanding.

"Anytime, baby" Clarke responded while Lexa wrapped an arm around her waist.

"I like it when you call me that" Lexa admitted.

"Call you what? Baby?" Clarke asked.

Lexa simply hummed in response and buried her face in the crook of Clarke's neck, inhaling her girlfriend's scent.

"Goodnight, Clarke" she said before pressing a soft kiss to the skin of Clarke's neck and closing her eyes.

"Goodnight, baby" Clarke said and laughed quietly at the content smile that appeared on Lexa's face. ** _Lexa really is the most adorable person on the planet,_** she thought.

She placed her arm around Lexa's back, let her eyelids drop and fell asleep.

The next day, Lexa had to come back home early in the morning because her brother was coming back from College for a week. Clarke was disappointed but understood. They parted with a kiss and Lexa walked back home.

 

 

\---------------

 

 

It had been almost a year since she had seen Lincoln.

As soon as she saw him, standing in front of their house, she started running and jumped in his arms, nearly making them both fall backwards.

"I missed you" she told him.

"I missed you too, sis" he replied, placing her back on the ground and affectionately ruffling her hair.

They spent the rest of the day catching up with him. Lexa told him about Clarke but left out the fact that she was her girlfriend. Lincoln did not miss the glint in Lexa's eyes as she spoke about Clarke. He could sense the love in his sister's tone and he didn't miss out on the chance to tease his little sister about it.

He was soon joined by Anya in his teasing and Lexa left the room, muttering _'I hate you both'_ under her breath.

 

 

\---------------

 

 

Clarke frowned. It was Monday morning and Lexa was nowhere to be seen. She figured the girl was probably late but when she didn't show up for math class either, Clarke knew something was wrong. She pretended to feel sick so she could go home and headed to Lexa's house. She would ask Monty to help her catch up with what she'll miss today.

Indra answered the door and told her Lexa didnt feel well today. She let Clarke in and told her she had to leave for work and left some food for Lexa in the fridge. The blonde nodded, climbed the stairs and opened Lexa's door.

Lexa was laying on her bed, safely tucked into the covers, sweat dripping from her forehead and a water bottle as well as some pills placed on her bedside table.

"Clarke? What are you doing here?" She croaked through a very hoarse voice.

"You're sick" Clarke observed "I told you you would get cold if you gave me your jacket" she scolded her.

"Well, if I didn't you would have gotten sick" Lexa stubbornly answered.

Clarke moved to sit on her bed and tucked a strand of hair behind the brunette's ear.

"You didn't have to come" Lexa told her "I don't want you to get sick too"

"I won't" Clarke reassured her before leaving the room, telling Lexa she'd be right back.

She retrieved a wet cloth and slipped back inside the room. She pressed the wet cloth on Lexa's forehead. Lexa sighed at the feeling of cold on her burning skin and thanked Clarke.

"I feel like shit" she pouted "kiss me better?" She added, grinning.

Clarke laughed at Lexa's childish behaviour. She knew she couldn't risk kissing the girl on the lips so she placed a kiss on the palm of Lexa's hand instead. Lexa whined, disappointed and cursed her sickness for not allowing her to kiss her girlfriend.

"You said it yourself, don't want me to get sick too" Clarke reminded her, grinning.

Lexa pouted but didn't say anything else. She knew Clarke was right. She just hoped she would recover soon so she could kiss those tempting lips again.

Clarke layed next to her, turned on her side and wrapped an arm around her girlfriend's waist, her front pressed against Lexa's back.

"Claaaarke" Lexa whined "I am not the little spoon"

"Looks like you are" Clarke shrugged.

"You're lucky I'm sick and too weak to argue" Lexa told her.

In truth, Lexa enjoyed that position. She felt safe in Clarke's arms. She would never admit it out loud, though.

Lexa took Clarke's hand which was resting on the brunette's stomach and linked their fingers together. They both fell asleep shortly after.

 

 

\---------------

 

 

Lexa woke up to the grumbling of her stomach. She felt an arm around her waist and that's when she remembered Clarke's presence. She wanted to avoid waking Clarke up and get some food herself but she felt too weak to get up and the pounding of her head was killing her.

She turned in the embrace and gently shook the blonde to wake her up. Clarke slowly blinked her eyes open, adjusting to the light coming from the window.

"Sorry Clarke but I...I'm hungry..." Lexa bashfully explained.

Clarke sat up quickly and got out of the bed.

"Say no more, I'm on it"

She came back five minutes later with the left overs that Indra had left for the girl. She handed the still warm plate to Lexa and sat beside her as she ate.

The rest of the day was spent cuddling on Lexa's bed. Clarke left, promising to come back the next day. Lexa made her promise not to skip class for her and Clarke reluctantly agreed.

After three days, Lexa felt much better and she was able to go back to school on Friday. They had agreed to not hide their relationship at school. They were aware of the risks but deemed it worth it.

One person who was surely not happy about this new development was Luna. They caught the girl glaring at them on more than one occasion.

Lexa had soccer practice every Tuesday and Friday after school. Clarke would stay at school longer on these days and sit on the bleachers either cheering for her girlfriend or drawing her.

Octavia and Lexa made quite the pair on the field. With Octavia being the main striker and Lexa being the right winger, Octavia was often on the receiving end of Lexa's perfect passes which allowed them to score more often than not. They were confident that, with this winning duo, they would be able to beat Azgeda in the upcoming competition.

Clarke and Lexa decided to tell their families about their relationship. They had been together for a week now and thought it was time. Jake was starting to grow suspicious anyway.

On Saturday evening, they reunited all members of their families in the Griffin's living room, including Lincoln who had decided to stay home for a couple more weeks.

"So, what is it you wanted to talk to us about?" Abby asked from her seat on the rocking chair.

"Yeah, right...umm" Clarke tried to find the best way to announce this.

"We're dating" Lexa blurted out.

"Uh yeah...it's been a week now..." Clarke added, rubbing the back of her neck.

They were met with absolute silence as everyone just stared at them and they were starting to grow anxious. Suddenly Jake jumped up from his seat.

"I knew it !" He said, pointing a finger in their direction. He then turned towards the other people present in the room and extended the palm of his hand "Pay up, bitches !"

"Jacob, language !" Abby scolded him.

Clarke and Lexa watched in shock as everyone handed Jake some money, even Indra.

"You couldn't have waited one more month?" Anya grumbled as she took out a ten dollar bill.

"You...you made a bet about us?" Clarke asked in disbelief.

"Of course we did, kiddo. How else am I supposed to gain some money?" Jake answered.

"Oh my God. I hate you all" Clarke said, hiding her face in the crook of Lexa's neck.

Lexa didn't seem embarrassed. If anything, she was amused by the situation. She laughed and placed a kiss on the top of Clarke's head.

Abby walked towards them and pulled Lexa into a hug.

"I'm happy it's you" Abby told her.

"Thank you for trusting me" Lexa whispered, hugging the older woman back.

Abby wasn't around much due to her job but it was clear she loved her daughter very much. Getting validation from her meant a lot to Lexa.

Clarke watched the interaction with a smile on her face.

"Can I speak with you, Lexa?" Jake interrupted them.

Lexa nodded. She then turned to whisper in Clarke's ear.

"I think my family wants to speak with you, good luck"

With that she followed Jake upstairs, grinning.

"Lexa ! You can't just leave me alone ! Lexa !" Clarke yelled after her but only got a light chuckle in response. She loved that sound so much.

"Clarke" Indra caught her attention "may we speak with you in private?"

Not having much of a choice, Clarke nodded and led them outside.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

"So, Lexa" Jake started, clasping his hands together, a serious expression on his face.

"Yes?" Lexa asked, a bit nervous about what he had to say.

He stayed silent for a few seconds before his lips broke into a huge grin and he wrapped his arms around Lexa. Her eyes widened as she did not expect the action. She hugged him back, relief coursing through her body.

"I've honestly been waiting forever for this to happen. I am happy she chose you" he confessed.

"I...uh ..thank you?" She replied, unsure of what to say.

"I could say some shit like _'Welcome to the family'_ but you're already part of it so I'll just tell you that I am really happy for you both and that I count on you to take care of her"

"I will" Lexa firmly said, fully meaning it.

"I know you will, kiddo" he said patting her shoulder "I couldn't have hoped for someone better for my daughter"

Lexa hugged the man one more time and they both joined Abby in the living room while Clarke finished speaking with Lexa's family.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

"So, Clarke. I trust you will not hurt Lexa" Indra started, Anya and Lincoln deciding to wait for their turn to speak with the blonde.

"I would never" Clarke assured the woman.

"She has clearly been happier these past couple of months and I believe it is thanks to you, so thank you" Indra continued.

"I will do my best to insure she feels happy every second of every day. This is all I want"

"I believe you also know about her past"

"I do, Mrs. Woods"

"Then you know not to play with her feelings"

"I love Lexa. I would never do anything that could cause her pain"

"Does she know the extent of your feelings for her?"

"She does, ma'am"

"I think you've earned the right to call me Indra" she said before going back to the living room.

Anya's eyes widened and Lincoln let out a low whistle.

"What?" Clarke asked, confused.

"Our mother has never approved of anyone we brought home. Allowing you to call her by her first name is basically the confirmation that she likes you. It is the highest form of respect coming from her" Lincoln enlightened the blonde.

"Wow...I don't know what to say" Clarke said.

"Nothing to say. Just don't fuck it up, blondie" Anya told her "I already spoke with you and I think you remember what I told you would happen if you ever hurt Lexa. My job here is done" she said before joining the others, leaving Clarke alone with Lincoln.

"So, I'm not going to threaten your life but Lexa has been through a lot already and I don't think she'd be able to handle another heartbreak" He told her.

"I know. I don't plan on ever hurting her. Like I said, I love her. More than anything" She genuinely answered.

"Good" he said and they got back inside. Clarke was immediately dragged to the kitchen by her girlfriend.

"How did it go?" Lexa asked.

"Pretty well, actually. Your mom told me to call her Indra" Clarke shrugged.

"She..." Lexa stood there, eyes wide and mouth open "...how?"

"I don't know, I guess she likes me"

"....wow"

"Is it so hard to believe?" Clarke asked, slightly offended.

"Oh no, I didn't mean it like that" Lexa backtracked "what I meant is that, coming from my mom, it is pretty impressive"

Clarke simply nodded and leaned her head on Lexa's shoulder, putting her arms around the girl's waist. The brunette wrapped both arms around her shoulders and kissed her temple.

"I'm happy they know" she whispered.

"Me too" Clarke replied.

She then pulled away from the hug and put both hands on Lexa's cheeks and kissed her. The kiss was soft. Their lips moving against one another in a slow rhythm.

Clarke bit on Lexa's lower lip then sucked on it to soothe the pain, drawing a moan from Lexa. Lexa then put both hands on the small of Clarke's back as she deepened the kiss. It was starting to get heated and Clarke slowed down the kiss a bit, knowing their families were still there, before pulling away completely, chuckling at the way Lexa's lips were chasing her own.

"We should get back" Clarke whispered as she leaned her forehead against Lexa's.

Lexa nodded, pecked her one last time on the lips and they made their way back to the living room, their joined hands swinging between them as they walked.

Lexa sat on the couch and although there was plenty of space left on it, Clarke decided to sit on Lexa's lap. The latter wrapped her arms around her midsection from behind and pressed a kiss on her shoulder where Clarke's shirt revealed a bit of skin.

Jake smiled at them and wrapped an arm around Abby, pulling her against him.

Indra excused herself, telling them she had some work to do. Lincoln and Anya left shortly after, leaving Lexa alone with the Griffin family, which had quickly become her second family.

"You can sleep here if you want, Lexa" Jake told her "just keep the door open" he added, grinning.

"Daaaaad, stop" Clarke whined.

Lexa was thankful she could mask her blush by hiding behind Clarke who was still sitting on her lap.

Jake laughed and motioned for Abby to accompany him upstairs, leaving the two girls alone "and no funny business on the couch" he told them before leaving.

Clarke groaned.

"I'm starting to regret telling them" she joked.

Lexa turned her in her lap and captured her lips in a searing kiss. Clarke tangled her hands in her hair and slipped her tongue inside the warmth of Lexa's mouth.

Lexa's hands wandered to the girl's waist and lifted the hem of her shirt slightly so she could slip her hands under her shirt. Her hands roamed the soft skin of Clarke's back and finally stopped at the girl's waist. Clarke's hand went to frame Lexa's cheeks, her fingers sliding along her jaw.

Lexa shifted her lips to Clarke's neck, kissing the length of it up to Clarke's ear, and the blonde let out a strangled moan as Lexa took her earlobe between her lips, lightly grazing her teeth against it. Clarke's hands slipped inside the brunette's shirt and grazed the underside of her boobs.

Lexa slowed down their heated makeout session which was slowly getting out of hand. She placed her lips back on Clarke's and kissed her softly, pouring all her love into the kiss. Clarke let her hands slip back to the brunette's waist and returned the kiss with equal love.

Lexa slowly detached her lips from the blonde's and put her arms around her waist, holding her close.

"I love you" Lexa murmured.

"I love you too" Clarke whispered back.

They went upstairs and slipped under the covers. They cuddled and this time, Lexa did not complain about being the little spoon. She just enjoyed being held by Clarke and relished in how happy and safe she felt in her arms.

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year, everyone :)

 

 

Finals were just around the corner. And with that came a very nervous Lexa.

"Lex, I really think you should take a break" Clarke told her from her position on the bed.

"Later. I just need to finish this one thing" Lexa answered without looking up from her book.

She had been studying for three hours. Clarke had spent two of them studying alongside her and the last hour was spent trying to convince her girlfriend to take a well-deserved break.

"You said that ten minutes ago" Clarke pointed out.

"I know...I just...I really need to finish this" Lexa sighed.

"Can you at least come sit with me on the bed?" Clarke asked.

Lexa hesitated then grabbed her book and sat at the end of her bed. She felt the bed dip slightly behind her as Clarke moved but she paid it no mind and kept on silently studying. Suddenly warm lips were pressed against her neck.

"Claarke, I'm trying to work" Lexa whined.

She tried to not be distracted by her girlfriend but it proved itself to be really hard as Clarke started kissing her neck with more intent. Lexa let out a soft whimper and abruptly closed her book. She turned around and captured Clarke's lips with her own.

She pushed on Clarke's chest until the blonde was laying underneath her. Lexa placed herself on top of Clarke, never breaking the kiss and supported her weight on her forearms which were on each sides of Clarke's head.

Clarke rolled them and changed their position so she was the one on top. She leaned down again and took Lexa's bottom lip between her teeth before gently pulling on it, then releasing it. Lexa's hands moved under Clarke's shirt and she traced circles on her back while Clarke took the brunette's lips back in her own. Lexa hummed against her lips and kissed her back with equal intensity.

"Clarke....we....should....stop...." Lexa said in between kisses, gently pushing on Clarke's shoulders to put some distance between their bodies.

Clarke reluctantly got off from her position on Lexa. She sat cross legged in front of her and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Clarke" Lexa apologized "I'm just really nervous about this...I really need to pass those exams.."

"And you will" Clarke reassured her "Baby, you are the smartest person I know. You don't need to work so much. You're being too hard on yourself"

"I know..."

"Take off your shirt and lay down on your stomach" Clarke ordered.

"W-what?" Lexa spluttered.

"You are extremely tense so I'm giving you a massage" Clarke clarified.

"Oh no, you don't have to..." Lexa didn't want to bother Clarke with her stress.

"I want to, come on"

Lexa hesitantly discarded her shirt, leaving her only in her bra and sweatpants and adopted the position Clarke told her to get in. She felt a bit self-conscious being so exposed and Clarke could feel her discomfort.

"If you're not comfortable you can put your shirt back on" she told the girl.

Lexa pondered it for a few seconds then shook her head. ** _It's just Clarke, nothing to worry about,_** she told herself.

Clarke climbed on top of the girl, throwing one leg on each side of Lexa and started massaging her shoulders. Lexa contently sighed. She didn't realize how much she actually needed this. She progressively felt the knot in her shoulders disappear and relaxed completely under her girlfriend's ministrations.

 

\---------

 

They had now finished all of their exams and would get their results in a few days, right before their Christmas holidays.

Tonight, another important event took place ; Lexa's first soccer game. It wasn't part of a competition, the game being an exhibition one, but it meant a lot to her. She felt nervous but most of all, she felt excited.

Her mother couldn't make it this time but Anya and the Griffins assured her they would be there. Indeed, when she stepped onto the field, she spotted her girlfriend alongside the girl's parents and her own sister. Clarke waved at her and Lexa subtly waved back.

They were playing against the team of Tondc High. They had already faced them and Arkadia had lost but that was before their new addition. That was before Lexa.

During the first half, the ball was mainly in Arkadia's possession, which resulted in a goal from Octavia at the 26th minute thanks to a good pass from Monroe. The stadium was roaring.

The score stayed this way until half-time. The players went back in the locker room for a 15 minute break and Lexa quickly ran to the bleachers to greet Jake and Abby and to hug her sister. Before going back to the locker room, Lexa placed her hand on the nape of Clarke's neck and soundly kissed her. When she pulled back, Clarke smiled down at her and pushed her back towards the field.

"Go, go"

Lexa threw her one last smile, then ran back inside to join her teammates.

 

 

\----------------

 

 

The opponent team tied the score at the 78th minute and Arkadia was left with 12 minutes to win the game.

They played well but it still wasn't enough to destabilize TonDc's defense. At the 89th minute, Lexa caught the ball in the air with her left foot when she was around the middle of the field. She ran for a few meters before being blocked by a defender, she passed the ball to Harper who was slightly behind her. She then slipped behind the defender and got closer to the goal as Harper sent the ball flying through the air.

The whole stadium held their breath as the ball flew above Lexa's and the last defender's heads. Lexa quickly ran towards the ball, jumped high and headbutted it in the left corner. It flew past the goalkeeper and crashed into the net. The crowd erupted in cheers and the referee signaled the end of the game.

Lexa's teammates jumped on her, making her lose her balance and sending them all to the ground in a pile of bodies. Lexa laughed as she tried to get away from under her teammates.

When she managed to get up, she saw Clarke running quickly towards her. The blonde jumped in her arms, wrapping her arms around her shoulders and her legs around her waist. Lexa took a few steps back to keep her balance and placed both hands under Clarke's thighs to support her weight.

Clarke placed kisses all over her face. On her nose, on her cheeks, on her forehead and finally on her lips. They continued kissing, their lips moving in sync, until wolf whistles made them separate. Lexa's teammates were now gathered around them.

"Damn, Woods" Harper yelled in between cheers.

Lexa blushed profusely and walked away from them, still carrying Clarke who was laughing at her girlfriend's embarrassment. She walked them towards the locker room and placed Clarke back on the ground.

They sat face to face, Lexa had one leg thrown over each side of the bench while Clarke sat on it with her legs crossed. She took Lexa's face in between her hands and kissed her once again.

"I'm proud of you. You were amazing out there" she whispered against Lexa's lips, her hands still cradling her face.

"I couldn't have done it without you" Lexa whispered back, leaning into Clarke's touch.

They heard the loud chatter of other players and quickly got up from the bench, grabbing Lexa's bag on their way out. Clarke watched her girlfriend as she high fived a few of her teammates. The girl wore a huge smile. The kind that was a rare sight. The kind that Clarke would do anything to see more often.

When they met up with the others, Anya congratulated her sister on her goal then told her she had to go because her friends were all going to a party. She knew Lexa wouldn't mind if she left. Lexa had Clarke with her and she would probably spend the night at the Griffin's.

"Hey, kiddo" Jake greeted Lexa, ruffling her hair "good job out there"

"Thank you" she said while trying to fix her hair which was now all over the place.

She got it back to normal but before she could stop him, Jake messed it up again. She threw him a very unimpressed look and Clarke tried to contain her laughter upon seeing the expression on her girlfriend's face. She got closer to Lexa so she could whisper in her ear.

"You're still beautiful, don't worry"

That earned a smile from the brunette and Clarke smiled back, mentally patting herself on the back. She took Lexa's hand which was in the girl's pocket and linked their fingers.

"Clarke, my hand is going to get cold if I don't put it in the pocket of my jacket" Lexa half-heartedly complained.

"Oh? Do you want me to let go of your hand then?" Clarke asked with a smirk, knowing full well what Lexa would reply.

"...no" Lexa admitted after a few seconds of silence.

"That's what I thought" Clarke said before lifting their joined hands and pressing a kiss on Lexa's.

Jake pulled out his phone and took a picture of their shared moment without them realizing. He had started doing this more often recently.

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

They had finally gotten their results. Unsurprisingly, Lexa aced her finals. Clarke didn't do as well as her but her results were still good enough to maintain a good GPA.

Now that the stress of exams was over, students were only talking about one thing ; the annual Winter Ball.

Clarke wanted to ask Lexa to go with her but didn't know if the girl would want to go to that kind of event.

Little did she know, as soon as Lexa caught wind of the existence of said event, she had started planning how she would ask Clarke to go with her. She had even asked Anya and Lincoln to help her find a way to do it.

 

 

_\--A week ago--_

 

 

_"So, let me get this straight..." Anya started chuckling at her own choice of words._

_"Very funny, Anya"_

_"I know. So basically, you want to ask Clarke and you don't know how" Anya summed up._

_"Yes"_

_"And you want us to help you find an idea?" Lincoln asked._

_"Yes"_

_"Lex" Anya said with a smile "We might not be the best people to give you advice on this. I mean, I am the least romantic person on the planet and Lincoln here has been single for over two years" she said pointing at Lincoln._

_"By choice !" Lincoln defended himself._

_"Yeah, right" Anya scoffed._

_Lincoln rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to his little sister._

_"Why don't you just simply ask her?"_

_"I...I want it to be special" Lexa replied, looking at her hands._

_"God, you can be so extra sometimes" Anya told her "you could literally simply pass her a scribbled note asking her to be your date to the ball and she would still jump your bones at the end of the night"_

_"Anya, stop..." Lexa said, hiding her face behind her hands, a blush creeping up her neck._

_Right at this moment her phone rang with a new text message from Clarke._

**_My girl <3 - 2.34 PM_ **

**_Hey, I was just wondering if you wanted to stop by my house. Also, don't work too much._ **  
**_I love you_ **

_Lexa grinned as she replied and failed to notice Anya moving behind her and subtly reading her messages over her shoulder._

**_Babe <3 - 2.35 PM_ **

**_I'll be there in about 20 minutes. But I will bring my books with me ;)_ **  
**_I love you too_ **

_"God, that's so disgustingly adorable" Anya spoke next to Lexa's ear, startling the girl, nearly making her drop her phone._

_"Anya !! Stop doing that !" Lexa said._

_"Doing what?" She innocently asked._

_Before Lexa could respond, Lincoln swiftly snatched the phone from her hand and started typing a new text message._

_"NO, LINCOLN !" Lexa tried to get it back but Anya tackled her to the floor, blocking her movements._

_"I thought you were on my side !" She shouted at the man, while he kept typing, laughing at his own text message._

_Lexa escaped from Anya just as Lincoln pressed 'send'. She took her phone back and quickly read what he had written._

**_Babe <3 - 2.39 PM_ **

**_I can't stop thinking about you. What are you wearing right now? ;)_ **

_"Oh my God" Lexa said, mortified, as she quickly typed another message while Anya and Lincoln doubled up with laughter  
_

**_My girl <3 - 2.40 PM_ **

**_Lex? Are you okay?_ **

**_Babe <3 - 2.41 PM_ **

**_I'm so sorry Clarke !! Lincoln wrote that ! I'm never letting him anywhere near my phone again._ **

 

**_My girl <3 - 2.43 PM_ **

**_Aah, that makes more sense. Well it was kinda funny haha_ **  
**_See you soon, baby. Love you_ **  
**_PS : Don't kill Lincoln pls. I like him._ **

 

**_Babe <3 - 2.44 PM_ **

**_I can't promise anything in regards to Lincoln's fate. He betrayed me and must suffer the consequences of his treason._ **  
**_PS : I love you too_ **

 

**_My Girl <3 - 2.45 PM_ **

**_You're such a dork._ **

_"I'll find an idea without you !" Lexa yelled at the retreating figures of her siblings._

_\--Present time--_

 

Clarke was about to get out of the class when she saw a paper note on her desk. It was neatly folded in two and on it was written _Clarke_ in cursive letters. Clarke immediately recognised Lexa's handwriting and picked it up. On it, two words were written in capital letters and a little note was written at the end of the page.

 

**WILL YOU**

_PS : go where you first offered to be my friend._

 

Clarke folded the paper back and put it carefully in her pocket before heading towards the bathroom she had found Lexa in when the girl had had a panick attack. There, she found another piece of paper hidden behind a sink.

 

**GO**

_PS : Head to our spot._

 

Clarke shook her head, amused, and climbed the stairs that lead to the rooftop of the school. After searching for a few minutes, she found a note placed under a stone to keep it in place. She lifted the stone and unfolded the third note.

 

**TO THE**

_PS : Go to your locker_

 

Clarke ran back inside and quickly opened her locker. A note escaped from it and fell to the ground. Clarke bent over to pick it up and read it, smiling at her girlfriend's dorkiness.

 

**WINTER**

_PS : Your father has the next one. He insisted to be a part of this. Don't blame me._

 

Clarke chuckled reading the note and climbed in her car. She drove for five minutes then parked in the driveway. Her father was already waiting on the doorstep, proudly holding a piece of paper. Clarke rolled her eyes at him and extended her hand to receive the note.

"She's amazing, you know" he told her, handing her the note.

"She really is" she said while undfolding the piece of paper.

 

**BALL**

_PS : Go where we first said **I love you** to each other **(PPS : I love you)**_

 

Clarke smiled fondly and climbed the stairs two by two. On the bed, a note was delicately placed on Clarke's pillow.

 

**WITH**

_PS : Go where I took you after our first date._

 

She hurried back downstairs and headed towards the door.

"Don't let go of that girl" Jake told her from the living room.

"I won't" she replied before climbing into her car and driving to the place Lexa had directed her to.

She couldn't help but smile. This whole thing was incredibly adorable. She had thought she would be the one to ask Lexa but it seems like the girl took the initiative and Clarke was glad. She just wanted to get there so she could finally kiss her.

She stopped the car when she spotted Lexa standing on the top of the hill. She got out of the car and smiled brightly at the girl. In her left hand, Lexa was holding a huge bouquet of red roses and in her right hand, she held a big sign that read **_ME?_** , forming with the other notes the sentence _**WILL YOU GO TO THE WINTER BALL WITH ME?**_

Lexa looked at her expectantly, hope clear in her eyes, her smile never wavering. Clarke smiled back and walked the last few meters, closing the distance between them. Careful not to damage the flowers, she cupped Lexa's face and kissed her softly, relishing in the feeling of Lexa's lips moving against her own.

"Is that a yes?" Lexa asked once they pulled apart.

"A thousand times yes" Clarke whispered.

She accepted the flowers Lexa handed to her and shook her head in disbelief.

"I can't believe you did all that"

"Is it too much? I wanted it to be romantic" Lexa shyly admitted, looking down at the ground.

"Lex, it's perfect" Clarke reassured her, gently grabbing her chin to connect their eyes "I love you"

"I love you too, Clarke" Lexa said, smiling brightly.

"I want to draw you" Clarke blurted out.

It was true. Clarke had wanted to draw her for a while. So far, she had only done quick sketches of the girl during soccer practice. She was just afraid she wouldn't be able to properly capture the girl's beauty. She had already tried to recreate the shade of her eyes but could never quite get it right. 

"I would love that" Lexa said.

 

 

\----------------

 

 

"So where do you want me?" Lexa asked when they walked back into Clarke's room.

"Just make yourself comfortable. It might take a little while" Clarke informed her.

"Oh okay"

Lexa settled on the bed and crossed her legs. She folded her hands in her lap and waited for Clarke to return with the necessary material.

Once everything was ready, Clarke started drawing, her gaze shifting from her drawing to Lexa's face. After a few minutes, Clarke noticed how stiff the girl was.

"Lex, you can relax"

"I don't want to ruin your drawing"

"You won't. Don't be so tense"

Lexa finally relaxed. She let her back rest against the headboard and her shoulders slumped down a bit.

It took another half hour for Clarke to finish the drawing. Lexa spent that time admiring her. Clarke was truly beautiful and Lexa thought about how lucky she was that out of all people, Clarke chose to love her.

She had never thought that, by coming to Arkadia, she would find the love of her life. She might be young but there was no doubt in Lexa's mind that Clarke was the one for her and she would do anything to get the chance to spend the rest of her life with Clarke.

"I'm done" Clarke proudly announced as she dropped her pencils on the small table next to her.

Lexa had never seen Clarke's art. This would be the first time and she was excited. She got up and slightly raised her hand in a silent question.  
Clarke slowly turned the sketchbook, revealing her drawing to Lexa who gasped upon seeing it.

"Clarke....this is so beautiful" she said with awe, her eyes scanning the entirety of the drawing.

She approached her hand and traced the lines Clarke had drawn. Tears started to brim at the corner of her eyes.

"You made me look so beautiful" Lexa said, looking back at Clarke.

"You _are_ beautiful. Not even this drawing captures how beautiful you are"

"Clarke..." Lexa didn't know what to say so instead she kissed her. She kissed her until they both ran out of breath. She kissed her, expressing all her gratitude, all her love. A single tear escaped her eye as she pulled away and Clarke kissed it away.

"It's for you" she said, handing Lexa the drawing.

"No Clarke, I can't. It's yours" Lexa refused.

"And I want you to have it" Clarke insisted.

Lexa accepted the drawing and broke into tears, overwhelmed by her love for the girl in front of her. Clarke wrapped her in her arms, soothingly caressing the girl's hair.

"I'm sorry...I just...I love you so much" Lexa sobbed.

"I love you too, baby"

"Don't leave me" Lexa pleaded.

All this time, Lexa had been unable to pinpoint this barely there feeling she had whenever things got too real with Clarke. She finally recognised it as fear. Fear that Clarke will leave her, fear of being abandoned like she has been many times in her life.

"Never. I'm not going anywhere"

Lexa let herself be reassured by those words and before she knew it, she was asleep in Clarke's arms.

 

 


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 13 :)  
> If you want to listen to the songs as you read, for the song 'Like I'm gonna lose you' by John Legend and Meghan Trainor, I recommend you to listen to Fifth Harmony's version. Firstly because it's better in my opinion and secondly, because Meghan Trainor sucks :)

 

 

"Hi, Jake" Lexa said as the door opened.

"Hi, Lexa. Clarke should be down in a few minutes"

"Thank you" Lexa thanked the man as she waited at the bottom of the stairs.

Tonight was the annual Winter Ball. It would take place at school and there would be teachers supervising the whole thing but that did not lessen the students's enthusiasm.

Lexa was wearing a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows paired with black suspenders. She also wore black pants and her outfit was completed by a black bow tie. She held flowers in her right hand as she waited for Clarke to be ready.

When Clarke descended the stairs, Lexa felt the air leave her lungs. Clarke wore a knee-length and strapless dark blue dress that matched her eyes and her golden waves were flowing freely over her shoulders.

"Wow....you look breathtaking, Clarke" Lexa let out once she pulled herself out of her stupefaction.

"Thank you. You look beautiful too" Clarke said with a blush, accepting the flowers Lexa handed to her.

"Alright, girls. Let's take a few pictures" Abby announced as she came back with a camera.

Jake went to put the flowers in a vase while Lexa and Clarke stood next to each other in front of the door, Lexa's arm wrapped around Clarke's waist. They took a few pictures and at some point, they both turned their heads to look at each other. Abby pressed the button right on time to capture it, freezing this moment in time. This photo would definitely end up in a scrapbook in the future.

Lexa raised her arm for Clarke to take and after wishing Jake and Abby a nice evening, they stepped outside, looking forward to the night to come.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

When they arrived, the ball room was already filled with teenagers and loud music was blaring through the speakers which were installed in two of the corners of the room. Lights illuminated most of the dancefloor, some parts being left in the semi-darkness.

Clarke spotted Monty with Harper next to the drinks and waved at them. they waved back and told them to come over. They talked for a while and then Clarke pulled Lexa towards the dancefloor despite the brunette's reticence.

They stepped in an area of the room where it was a bit darker, as per Lexa's request. Clarke started swaying her hips to the music but Lexa was paralyzed.

"Clarke...I can't dance" she shouted over the music.

"Here, let me guide you" Clarke told her, grabbing both of her hands.

She spinned Lexa around then placed her hands on the girl's hips. She pressed her body against Lexa's and moved her hips, beckoning Lexa to do the same. After a few minutes, Lexa got the gist of it and started moving to the beat of the music. She might not be an exceptional dancer but honestly, she wasn't as bad as she claimed to be. Besides, Clarke found it cute how she would furrow her brows in concentration while trying to get the moves right.

Clarke turned around and pressed her back against Lexa's front, starting a grinding motion. Lexa let out a soft moan and her hands flew to Clarke's hips. After a few seconds of Clarke's teasing, Lexa turned her back around so she was facing her and kissed her chastely, despite her growing desire to deepen the kiss.

The music changed and Lexa went to grab them some drinks. Clarke took advantage of that moment to slip into the DJ's booth to find Raven who had agreed to play the DJ for the night.

"Raven" Clarke called her attention.

"Oh, hey" Raven said, taking off her headphones "what can I do for you?"

"Do you think you could play a specific song at some point?" Clarke requested.

"Yeah, sure. Which one?"

Clarke told her the title of the song , thanked the girl, then exited the booth. She looked for Lexa and after a few minutes and quite a lot of people stepping on her toes, she found her talking to Harper and Monroe.

"Hey, babe" she kissed Lexa's cheek before greeting Monroe whom she hadn't seen yet.

"Clarke, I missed you" Lexa told her.

"I missed you too" Clarke replied, smiling.

"You guys were literally only apart for ten minutes" Jasper interrupted as he went to get a new drink.

"So?" Clarke and Lexa replied in unison.

Jasper raised his hands in defense and walked backwards, grinning and muttering _'so fucking gay'_

They kept talking with Harper, Monroe and with Monty who had joined them after a few minutes.

Suddenly the first notes of a familiar song resonated through the ballroom. Clarke grabbed Lexa's hand and pulled her towards the center of the room as _I can't help falling in love with you_ started playing.

"Did you request that song?" Lexa squinted her eyes, eyeing her suspiciously.

"You have no proof" Clarke retorted.

Lexa laughed and wrapped her arms around Clarke's shoulders as Clarke wrapped hers around Lexa's waist, mimicking the position they were in when they danced to that same song at Thanksgiving, the only difference being that they weren't together back then.

 

> _Take my hand_

"So is it like our song now?" Lexa asked, curious.

 

> _Take my whole life too_

"If you want it to be" Clarke shrugged as they continued swaying to the music

 

> _For I can't help falling in love with you_

"I do" Lexa said after a few seconds of silence.

Clarke rested her head on the brunette's shoulder, letting Lexa guide her. She closed her eyes and tightened her hold on her girlfriend. In that moment, it was just them. The rest of the world simply didn't exist anymore.

The song was slowly coming to an end and Clarke thought about what had _(almost)_ happened the first time they had danced to this song. This time, though, nothing was stopping her from kissing Lexa. Thus, as the last notes of the melody played, Clarke raised her head from Lexa's shoulder and leaned forward. Lexa did the same and their lips met in the middle in a soft kiss that seemed to last forever when in reality, it was only ten seconds.

"I had wanted to do this the first time, you know" Lexa confessed, referring to their Thanksgiving dance.

"Yeah, me too"

"I was scared of losing you if I kissed you" the brunette revealed.

"You won't ever lose me"

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

"Please, come in" Abby welcomed them as she opened the door.

It was Christmas Eve and both families had decided to celebrate it together, just like they had done for Thanksgiving, minus Lincoln who was spending Christmas with friends from College this year. He promised he would be there for New Year's though.

Lexa entered the house, trying to not drop any of the gifts she was carrying. She carefully put them under the Christmas tree and went to greet her girlfriend.

"Hey, baby" Clarke said, pecking her on the lips.

Anya immediately went to talk to Jake. She had taken a liking at the man. He was one of the very few people she found interesting enough to have a conversation with. Indra helped Abby in the kitchen and Lexa and Clarke, as for them, took a seat on the rocking chair. Well, more like Lexa took a seat on the rocking chair and Clarke sat on Lexa's lap, facing her.

Lexa put both arms around her and rested her head on her chest, its rise and fall making Lexa's head move slightly, the motion combined with the exhaustion of the day making her feel sleepy.

She was already half asleep when Indra called them for dinner. Lexa blinked her eyes open and widened them as she realized she had drooled a bit on Clarke's shirt. She quickly wiped at her mouth and at Clarke's shirt, her cheeks tinted with red. She blushed even more when she realized that, by wiping off the drool, she was unvoluntarily brushing her hand against Clarke's chest. She abruptly retracted it and tried not to look at Clarke's boobs (once again, she failed)

Clarke laughed and got off from Lexa's lap, tugging on the girl's hand to pull her up to her feet. She hugged her tight before she led them both to the dining room.

At some point during dinner, Jake accidently dropped his fork under the table. He bent down to retrieve it and saw Clarke's and Lexa's hands linked together under the table. It had become a habit of them. Lexa being right-handed and Clarke left-handed, it allowed them to hold hands while completing certain tasks such as eating or doing their homework. Anya had seen them do it once and had commented on it saying _'what kind of gay shit'_

Jake smiled to himself, his eyes tearing up a bit.

"Are you okay, honey?" Abby asked, as he had been under the table for an oddly long time.

"Huh? I'm good" he said, going back up. He would tell Abby later about what he just saw.

They were now getting ready for bed. Anya and Indra would take the guest room while Lexa would sleep in Clarke's bed like she always does.

Clarke and Lexa layed face to face in the darkness of the room, just staring at each other in silence. The only sounds being the cars occasionally passing by the house.

"I can't wait to give you my gift" Clarke whispered.

"You could give it to me now" Lexa suggested tentatively. She couldn't wait either.

"No, no. Tradition is tradition. You will not get your present until it's Christmas" Clarke told her.

"Well, it's 12.30 AM so technically, it is Christmas" Lexa shot back smugly.

"Shut up, smartass" Clarke silenced her, placing her finger over the girl's lips.

Lexa kissed her finger twice and Clarke's heart melted at the action. Lexa just made her feel so loved without even trying.

She turned around and pressed her back against Lexa's front, allowing Lexa to be the big spoon for once. After a few minutes, she felt Lexa shift repeatedly behind her.

"What's wrong?" Clarke asked, rubbing her eyes.

"....can I be the little spoon?"

Even though she couldn't see it right now, Clarke knew Lexa was blushing. She grinned as she turned them and placed herself behind Lexa, putting her arm around her. She then whispered in Lexa's ear

"Not so badass now are you, Commander?"

"I thought we agreed to never mention that nickname again" Lexa whined.

"I never agreed to such thing" Clarke innocently said while tightening her arm around the girl.

"It was implied"

"Well, how am I supposed to know it then?"

"At least I didn't walk around naked at McDonald's when I was little" Lexa teased back.

"Touché"

Lexa giggled and turned her body slightly to press a kiss against Clarke's lips before going back to her previous position. She sighed contentedly and closed her eyes, Clarke doing the same behind her.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

Lexa woke up feeling a weight pressed against her body. During the night, Clarke had moved and Lexa was now laying on her back, Clarke's body covering her own. Clarke's head was in Lexa's neck, her breathing tickling her.

Lexa placed both hands on the girl's hips and squeezed them, making Clarke jump away in surprise.

"Asshole" she slapped Lexa on the shoulder and scowled, pretending to be mad.

"I'm sorry, Clarke" Lexa pouted, her bottom lip almost entirely covering her upper lip as she looked up at Clarke with puppy-like eyes.

"Okay, that is so not fair of you to use that adorable face against me" Clarke said before she jumped on the girl to tickle her sides.

"S-stop ! No, stop" Lexa managed to say through her laughter.

Clarke tortured the girl for a few more seconds then relented and stopped her attack on her. She dropped back down on the bed in a laying position and looked into Lexa's eyes.

"Merry Christmas, Lexa"

"Merry Christmas, Clarke"

When they got downstairs, everyone was already there. Clarke's father was in the kitchen cooking pancakes, Abby was setting the table and Anya and Indra were by the fire, both reading a book.

Clarke went to help her mother set the table while Lexa wished a Merry Christmas to her family.

After breakfast, they decided to do the presents. When everyone had exchanged theirs, Clarke picked up the ones she had bought for Lexa and told the girl to do the same. She then led them upstairs, wanting to do that in the privacy of her room.

"So, who goes first?" Clarke asked.

"You go first" Lexa said, handing Clarke her gifts.

Clarke began by the bigger one. She unwrapped it to reveal all kinds of art supplies which must have cost a fortune.

"Lex...this is too much. How much did you pay for this?" Clarke wondered, astonished.

"It doesn't matter" Lexa shrugged off.

"But it does...Lex, you don't have to spend that much money on me"

"I _want_ to. I want to be able to spoil you the same way _you_ spoil me, Clarke"

"Okay" Clarke relented, grabbing the smaller gift Lexa had gotten her.

She carefully ripped the wrapping and took a look at the gift. It was a picture frame of the picture Abby had taken of them right before the Winter Ball, the one where they were both looking at each other instead of at the camera. Lexa had asked Abby if she could have it which Abby gladly agreed to. She had bought the frame and, at the bottom of the glass covering the picture, she had written in perfect handwriting :

 

_I'll be yours for as long as you'll want me. I love you, Clarke._

_Lexa_

 

"Lexa...I love you too" Clarke said, barely above a whisper, as a few tears escaped her eyes.

"I know it's not much but I just loved the picture and I thought I could use it fo-"

She was cut off by Clarke's lips on hers. She reciprocated it and they lost themselves in the kiss, hands respectfully roaming each other's body.

The sound of Clarke's phone ringing made them pull away abruptly. She sighed and went to look at who it was. She frowned upon seeing the name that appeared on the screen. _Bellamy._

**_Why in hell was he texting her? Didn't she make it clear she didn't want anything to do with him anymore?_ **

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Whoever had texted Clarke, it was clearly unwelcome as Lexa saw the scowl on the other girl's face.

"Who is it?" Lexa carefully asked.

"It's Bellamy..." Clarke said, opening the text.

 

**Bell - 10.34 AM**

**Hey, princess. Merry Christmas ;) we should go out for dinner some time. What do you say?**

 

Clarke read the message out loud and Lexa frowned. **_What the fuck?_**

"Why is he texting you?" Lexa asked with some bite to her words "I thought you cut ties with him"

"I did ! Don't you trust me?" Clarke asked, a bit offended.

"Of course I trust you ! It's him that I don't trust" Lexa quickly backtracked. She sighed and her shoulders slumped.

"I won't let him do anything to you" Clarke promised.

"It's not me that I'm worried about"

"Lex, I'll be fine. Can we just pretend this didn't happen?"

"And how are you planning to do that?" Lexa asked in a much lighter tone.

"I have a few ideas"

Clarke got closer and kissed her again and again until all thoughts of Bellamy disappeared from their minds. Though, Lexa still grabbed Clarke's phone, quickly typing a reply to Bellamy's text.

 

_**Princess - 10.45 AM** _

_**Hey, why don't you fuck off?** _

 

Clarke laughed upon reading Lexa's message and kissed her once more.

"You still have to open your gifts" she pointed out.

Lexa started by the smaller one. It was a painting of them on their first day of class. You could see Clarke leaning towards Lexa, whispering something to her and Lexa tentatively looking back. The rest of the class was blurry, leaving all the focus on Clarke and Lexa. At the bottom of the painting, there was Clarke's signature and one sentence : _Where it all began_

Lexa couldn't detach her eyes from it. It was beautiful and brought back all those memories. She tried to hold her tears back but it was useless.

"Hey, don't cry just yet. There's another one. Save your tears" Clarke joked as she brushed away a few tears that had rolled down Lexa's cheeks.

Lexa let out a watery chuckle and reached for the other, much bigger gift Clarke had for her, carefully unwrapping it.

_A guitar. It was a guitar._

Lexa had told Clarke about her old guitar which had been destroyed by bullies at her old school. She had told her about her wish to play again and that she couldn't really afford a new one right now.

And Clarke had gone and bought her a guitar. A very expensive one, no less.

"Clarke...I can't accept this" Lexa said, shaking her head.

"Yes, you can. And you will" Clarke gently told her.

Lexa kept shaking her head in disbelief. Clarke reached out and placed the guitar in Lexa's hands.

"How about this, you can have it on one condition" Clarke told her "...you have to play me something"

"Oh...I haven't played in almost a year..I don't know if I'll remember the chords"

Clarke raised an eyebrow and looked down where Lexa's fingers were already forming the first chord of a song.

"Please?" Clarke pleaded.

Lexa sighed and after making sure the guitar was tuned, she played the first notes of a melody. Clarke quickly recognised the song _Like I'm gonna lose you_ by John Legend and Meghan Trainor.

She stayed quiet and listened intently. Suddenly, she heard Lexa's voice as the girl starting singing along.

 

> _In the blink of an eye,_
> 
> _Just a whisper of smoke_

Clarke was stunned. Lexa's voice was beautiful. It was soft but powerful at the same time. It was just so... Lexa.

 

> _You could lose everything._
> 
> _The truth is you never know_

Lexa looked straight into Clarke's eyes as she sang. And Clarke, well Clarke felt overwhelmed. So many emotions were coursing through her body at the moment and a few tears escaped her eyes.

 

> _So I'll kiss you longer baby_
> 
> _Any chance that I get_

All other sounds faded away as she listened to Lexa's voice.

 

> _I'll make the most of the minutes and love with no regrets_
> 
> _Let's take our time to say what we want_
> 
> _Use what we got before it's all gone_
> 
> _Cause no, we're not promised tomorrow_

Clarke didn't think it was possible but she felt herself fall even deeper in love with the girl in front of her.

 

> _So I'm gonna love you_
> 
> _Like I'm gonna lose you_
> 
> _I'm gonna hold you_
> 
> _Like I'm saying goodbye_

A few tears formed in Lexa's eyes as well and Clarke was quick to brush them away. Her hands remaining on Lexa's cheeks after doing so.

 

> _Wherever we're standing_
> 
> _I won't take you for granted_
> 
> _Cause we'll never know when_
> 
> _When we run out of time_

And in that moment Clarke knew. She knew Lexa was the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, build a future with. She didn't care that she was still young. She didn't care what anyone would say because she had never been more sure of anything in her entire life.

 

> _So I'm gonna love you_
> 
> _Like I'm gonna lose you_
> 
> _I'm gonna love you_
> 
> _Like I'm gonna lose you_

Clarke snatched the guitar away from Lexa's hands and put it on the floor, being careful not to damage it. Then, without giving Lexa the chance to react, she grabbed her shirt in her fists and pulled her into a searing kiss. She slowly layed down on the bed, pulling Lexa on top of her. The brunette put both hands on each side of her face and deepened the kiss, her tongue slipping inside Clarke's mouth.

Lexa pulled away and pressed her lips on Clarke's neck, sucking on her pulsepoint, drawing a moan from the blonde. It would probably leave a hickey but at the moment, they didn't care.

In a swift movement, Clarke switched their position and straddled Lexa's waist. She leaned back down and left kisses on her neck before taking Lexa's earlobe between her teeth, nipping at it and pulling lightly on it. Lexa's hands slipped under Clarke's shirt and travelled up and down her back to stop at the bottom of her spine, being careful not to let them go lower. Clarke rolled her eyes and grabbed Lexa's hands, placing them on her ass herself. Lexa gave it a tentative squeeze and took Clarke's lips back in her own. She was practically in heaven right now.

The brunette went to change their position again but miscalculated the size of the bed. They both fell from it and landed on the floor, Clarke taking most of the hit. **_Way to ruin the moment,_** Clarke thought, amused by the situation.

"Oh my God, Clarke ! I'm so sorry" Lexa said.

She got up and helped Clarke to her feet. The expression etched on her face was one of deep concern even though Clarke didn't seem mad. The blonde started laughing uncontrollably.

"Sorry but that was funny" Clarke said once her laughter died down.

"Clarke" Lexa whispered loudly "you could be hurt"

Lexa lifted Clarke's shirt. She saw Clarke's hip and couldn't help but gasp.

"Clarke, you have a bruise....I hurt you"

"It'll heal, it's fine" Clarke shrugged.

Seeing Lexa's guilt-filled eyes, Clarke grabbed her chin and forced her to look at her.

"Baby, I'm fine. I swear. It doesn't even hurt"

Maybe that was a lie but the pain really wasn't that bad. It was bearable.

Lexa nodded though she still felt a bit guilty. She got on her knees and lifted Clarke's shirt again, examining the bruise. She placed one hand on Clarke's stomach while the other kept her shirt up and she pressed several kisses to Clarke's hips, all over the recent bruise. The amount of care and love that was in this simple action made Clarke emotional all over again. She grabbed Lexa's hands and pulled her back on her feet. She drew small circles on her hands with her thumbs and then kissed each of Lexa's palms.

"I love you" she said.

"I love you more" Lexa replied.

"That's impossible" Clarke whispered.

Lexa was about to argue but Clarke pressed her lips against hers. Suddenly she forgot what she was about to say.

"I'm going to marry you, Lexa Woods" Clarke said when they pulled away, her words laced with certainty.

"Oh yeah? And where's my ring?" Lexa teased though her voice was shaky, Clarke's meaningful words having a strong effect on her.

"Just wait. One day, you'll have it. I promise you"

 

 


	14. Chapter 14

 

 

"Get up, I'm taking you somewhere" Clarke told Lexa as she grabbed her coat and her purse.

"Where?" Lexa asked from her position on the bed.

"You'll see"

"Come on...I hate surprises" Lexa complained.

"No, you don't" Clarke shot back.

"Fine, I don't. Can you at least give me a clue?"

"Nope" Clarke said, popping the _'p'_

Lexa pouted but grabbed her stuff anyway. Clarke went to her father and quietly told him where they were headed before leaving the house.

Clarke didn't give away any information as to where they were going, despite how hard Lexa tried to get it out of her. Clarke stopped the car and after they got out, she turned to look at Lexa. The girl's face was full of wonderment as she looked around, taking in her surroundings.

"You brought me to the Christmas market?" Lexa asked, looking around in awe.

"If you don't like it, we can go somewhere else" Clarke suggested.

"No, no I love it" Lexa assured her.

There were small shops on both sides of the street, green, red and white decorations hanging from them. A Christmas song was playing quietly in the distance, the chatter of people covering it almost entirely.

"I've never been here" Lexa admitted.

"Well, now you have. Let's go" Clarke said while tugging at her hand, pulling her forward.

Lexa stopped at almost every shop and although Clarke's feet were starting to hurt from walking so much, she found it all worth it when she saw the pure happiness on Lexa's face.

"Oh look !" Clarke said pointing at an ice-skating rink.

"I don't know how to do that..." Lexa said.

"I'll teach you" Clarke shrugged.

Lexa reluctantly followed Clarke to the building. They bought their tickets and hurried inside. After getting their skates, they walked towards the ice rank. Clarke couldn't help but laugh at Lexa. The girl was trying to keep her balance while walking and she looked like a penguin. They weren't even on the ice. **_She hasn't seen anything yet,_ ** Clarke thought chuckling to herself.

As soon as they stepped on the ice, Lexa held onto the railing for dear life. Her feet sliding forward and backwards in very uncoordinated movements. Clarke offered her hand and Lexa slowly took it, keeping one hand on the railing just in case.

Clarke started skating slowly, giving Lexa time to accommodate to the skates. After a few minutes she started going faster and she felt Lexa let go of her hand. **_Maybe she learns faster than I thought,_** Clarke thought but when she turned around, she saw Lexa gripping the railing tightly with both hands. She skated over and placed herself behind Lexa, prying her hands away from the railing.

"It's okay, I got you" she reassured her "I won't let you fall"

Clarke placed her knees in the crook of Lexa's and pushed slightly, bending Lexa's legs.

"There you go, don't be so stiff. Your legs have to be slightly bent. Then you push forward, one skate at a time, putting your weight on the feet you move forward, just like when you walk except here, you slide" she tried to explain.

"Easier said than done" Lexa scoffed.

"I know but you'll get used to it. You jut need time to adjust. I was bad at it too when I first tried" she encouraged her.

Clarke moved in front of her, grabbed her hands and started skating backwards, pulling Lexa forward with her. Every now and then she checked behind her to make sure she wouldn't bump into anyone. A guy stopped next to them and started skating alongside them. He looked at Clarke and low whistled. He threw her a smile that made Lexa want to punch him. She refrained herself from doing so, telling herself she couldn't just attack each person who hits on Clarke.

"Hey, beautiful. I'm Atom and you are....?" He trailed off, waiting for her to give him her name.

"Not interested" Clarke deadpanned, barely looking at him.

They watched the guy's face fall as his friends laughed at him. Clarke skated away from them, dragging a very smug Lexa with her. She didn't miss the little smirk Lexa's lips were forming and rolled her eyes at her girlfriend but couldn't help the smile that broke free.

She came to a stop and cushioned the blow of Lexa bumping into her as a result. She briefly joined their lips then resumed skating.

After a little while, she tried letting go of Lexa's hands but that made the girl lose her balance and Lexa fell on her ass. Clarke quickly helped her get back up, apologizing. Lexa guaranteed her it was fine.

"A warning would be nice next time, though" she joked but her sad tone betrayed her.

The guys from earlier snickered behind them.

"Maybe you should just stay on the ground. It would save time for you" one of them mocked her.

Clarke threw him a glare before looking back at Lexa who looked like she was about to cry.

"Hey no, baby, don't cry" she took off one of her gloves and wiped at the single tear rolling down Lexa's cheek "don't listen to them, they're assholes"

"But he's right. I suck at this" she said dejectedly.

"You don't suck, Lex. Everyone struggles at first and it's okay. Come on, assholes won't ruin our day"

Clarke took one of her hand in hers and started skating again, smiling and cheering when Lexa let go of her hand and started skating on her own. Lexa pulled to a stop and spinned around to face Clarke.

"I did it!" She said, excitedly, smiling from ear to ear.

"You did. I knew you would" Clarke said, proud of her girlfriend.

She moved forward and pulled Lexa's beanie down to cover her small ears which were reddening because of the cold.

They stayed about half an hour longer then gave the skates back and returned outside.

Clarke stopped in front of a big Christmas tree and pulled Lexa against her side. She took out her phone and opened the camera. She grabbed Lexa's chin so the girl was facing her and brushed her lips against the brunette's while taking the picture. When she pulled away, she saw a man approach with his son who couldn't be older than two years old, the man's face etched in a scowl.

"You should be ashamed of yourselves ! There are children here !"

"Excuse me?" Clarke angrily said.

Lexa grabbed her hand to keep her in place because from the looks of it, Clarke was two seconds away from punching the guy.

"Children shouldn't have to witness such abomination. You people are sick !" he kept going, raising his voice.

"Are you kidding me? We haven't done anything wrong !" Clarke shot back "I have every right to come here and have fun with my girlfriend !"

"so much for not letting an asshole ruin our day" Lexa muttered, glaring at the man.

A few people had gathered around them, watching the altercation but none of them were doing anything to stop it. The angrier the man got, the tighter he held his son's hand and the poor boy was starting to cry.

"You're hurting him" Lexa interrupted whatever the man was saying, or rather, whatever he was yelling.

"What?" The man spat.

"I said, you're hurting him. Let go of his hand" 

The man grudgingly released his son's hand and the latter walked as fast as he could to go behind Lexa, hiding himself. Lexa frowned at the fear she could read in the boy's eyes.

"Don't touch my son, you dyke !" The man yelled trying to get closer to her but Clarke stopped him.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

As Clarke continued heatedly arguing with the man, Lexa turned towards the little boy, crouching down to be at his eye-level.

"Hey buddy, what's your name?" She softly asked.

"A-Aden" he hesitantly replied.

"Hi, Aden. I'm Lexa" she said raising a hand to shake his.

She didn't miss how the boy flinched at the movement. She furrowed her brows.

"Aden, what are you scared of?" She slowly asked, afraid of the answer she might receive.

"I..I can't tell. Dad said I can't tell..." he said, crying harder now.

"Hey, it's okay. You can tell me. I won't let anything happen to you" she promised him.

He stayed silent, his gaze dropping to the ground and though Lexa had an idea about what was going on, she wished more than anything that her suspicions weren't true.

"Can I see under your sweatshirt, Aden?" She carefully asked, not wanting to scare the boy.

She didn't get a response. Instead, the little boy took a step back, still not meeting her eyes, holding the hem of his sweatshirt tightly in his fists. Lexa took his fists in her hands and brushed her thumbs against them.

"It's okay Aden, you can show me" she tried to convince the boy.

Aden nodded and slowly lifted his sweatshirt. Lexa held back a gasp and felt tears in the corner of her eyes at the sight of the boy's stomach covered in yellow and purple marks. She also spotted a round scar on his collar bone when she pulled down the collar of his sweatshirt which could only be the cause of a cigarette burn. She cupped the boy's cheeks and looked into his eyes.

"You're going to be okay, I promise. He won't hurt you anymore"

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

"What's going on here?" a police officer asked, looking back and forth between the man and Clarke.

Clarke and Lexa explained the situation, the man cutting them off repeatedly until the officer told him to keep quiet. After having heard everything that's happened, the officer told Clarke and Lexa they could go. However, Lexa stayed and quickly whispered something in the police officer's ear. He approached the little boy and checked under his sweatshirt while another officer blocked the man's way.

"Who did this to you, kid?" The officer asked.

"D..dad" Aden croaked out, scared of what would happen to him now that he had told people about it.

The officer sighed and turned back towards the man.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to follow me to the police station"

"Because of those bitches?!"

"No. Because of the bruises on your son's stomach"

The man tried to run away but didn't make it far because the officer quickly caught up with him and tackled him to the ground. He handcuffed him, then turned towards his colleague.

"Bring the boy to a hospital"

"Can we go with?" Clarke asked.

The officer hesitated but ended up agreeing to her request. They followed the other officer and climbed into the car, heading towards the hospital while trying to calm the little boy in the car. They arrived 5 minutes later and Lexa pulled a scared Aden out of the car.

"Mom !" Clarke called out when she spotted her mom talking with the receptionist.

"Clarke? What are you doing here?" Abby frowned.

Clarke quickly explained the situation to Abby who nodded and walked towards Aden. Meanwhile the police officer made a phone call to see if they could get more information on Aden's relatives.

"Hey, Aden. We have to run some tests so I need you to come with me" Abby told the young boy.

Aden shook his head quickly and gripped Lexa's hand tightly. Lexa crouched down and put one hand on his cheek, brushing her thumb against it.

"Listen to me, Aden" at this he looked up "you'll be okay. Pinky swear" she said extending her pinky finger.

Clarke laughed at her girlfriend's cuteness and smiled while watching the two interact. Her heart melted at how adorable Lexa was with kids. ** _She's freaking perfect,_** she thought.

Aden held up his hand and clumsily linked his pinky finger with Lexa, giggling. Lexa smiled at the sound and ruffled his hair fondly. They led him to the radiology part of the hospital. Lexa pointed at the big machine inside the room, telling Aden he was going to go in there so they could see if anything was wrong.

"I don't want to go" Aden said through a shaky voice.

"You'll be fine. Think of it as a spaceship" Lexa told him.

"A spaceship?" Aden repeated, the word having peeked his interest.

"Yeah, you know like in all those really cool movies" Lexa told him.

"Really?" He said jumping up and down excitedly.

"Alright, slow down, buddy" Lexa told him laughing.

She turned towards her girlfriend who was talking to her mom and nodded at her, silently telling her it was okay to bring Aden in.

"Now, Aden, I can't follow you inside but I'll be right there the whole time" Lexa said, showing him the space behind the glass window where she will be standing while they do a few radios of his stomach and other body parts if they find more bruises. Lexa really hoped they wouldn't.

"No. You go with me" he stubbornly said.

"I can't, Aden. I'm sorry" she apologized "but Clarke's mom will go with you"

"Clawke?" he looked at her curiously.

"Right here" Lexa said, gesturing at Clarke to join them "she's my girlfriend" she proudly said.

"Girlfriend" Aden said, testing out the word and tilting his head in a way that reminded Clarke of Lexa when the girl is confused about something.

"So, Aden, are you ready to go?" Abby asked.

Aden looked back at Lexa, grabbing her hand once again.

"It'll be okay, don't worry" she told him, squeezing his hand before slowly retracting hers from the grip he had on it.

Abby took his hand in hers and led him inside the room. He looked one more time at Lexa and she smiled reassuringly at him.

Once they were inside, Clarke turned towards Lexa and kissed her.

"What was that for?" Lexa asked breathlessly.

" _That_ was because I love you and you were amazing with Aden"

"He's a good kid" Lexa told her "I really hope nothing's wrong" she shared her concerns with Clarke.

Lexa had told Aden everything would be okay but truth is, she didn't know herself how bad it was and she was scared to find out. She had grown attached to this little boy in the short time she had known him. She was thankful his father wasn't here to hurt him anymore. She could only hope it was not too late.

Abby came back about 20 minutes later without Aden. Lexa was pacing and stopped abruptly when she saw her.

"Where's Aden?" Lexa asked, frowning.

"He had internal bleeding due to the big bruise on the lower part of his stomach. They're preparing him for surgery" Abby revealed.

"Fuck" Lexa said, growing anxious.

Abby hugged Lexa and told her she did good then she left towards the operation room, assuring Lexa she would do everything she can.

They reached the emergency room and Lexa resumed her pacing, running a hand through her hair. Clarke positioned herself in front of her and grabbed her forearms.

"Lex, why don't you sit down?" Clarke suggested, pulling the girl closer to a chair.

Lexa sat down but her nervousness didn't go away. She fidgeted in her seat and couldn't keep her hands still. Clarke crouched down in front of her and rubbed her knees.

"You did everything you could, baby. Without you, who knows what else this monster would have done to him" She tried to reassure her girlfriend the best she could but it seemed useless.

Clarke had never seen Lexa like this. Yes, sure she had been under a lot of pressure during their finals but she had never been in such a state. All they could do now was wait and hope for the best.

After two hours, Abby came up to them, smiling brightly. Lexa let out a breath of relief she didn't know she was holding.

"He's stable. He's in recovery right now. I know it's against the protocol for you to go see him but I'll make an exception this one time" Abby told them.

"Thank you, Abby" Lexa said.

"Don't mention it" Abby replied.

She gave them directions to Aden's room and went to talk with the police officer still standing at the reception to see if Aden had any relatives that could take him in. The officer told her that they had looked into it but his father was the only family he had left, therefore the kid was very likely to end up in a group home. That annoyed Abby. She didn't want this kid to end up in the system. She had not experienced it first-hand but she knew how hard it could be growing up moving from house to house, especially considering Aden's young age.

 

 

\--------------------------

 

 

Lexa lightly knocked on the door while slowly opening it. She and Clarke quietly entered the room. Aden was laying on a hospital bed, safely tucked under the covers, a hospital gown covering his naked body.

"Aden?" Lexa called.

"Lessa!" Aden excitedly said when he saw her "And Clawke!" he added when he saw Clarke standing behind Lexa.

"Hey, how are you?" Clarke asked sitting down on the chair next to the bed. Lexa took a chair and sat next to her.

"I'm okay" he said quietly.

He turned towards Lexa and told her to come closer so he could whisper something in her ear.

"She's very pretty" he whispered, looking at Clarke

He was not as quiet as he thought and Clarke and Lexa both laughed.

"Yes, yes she is" Lexa said, looking straight into Clarke's eyes. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her cheek. When she looked back at Aden, he was pouting.

"What's wrong, buddy?" Lexa asked.

"I want a kiss too"

The frown left Lexa's features and was replaced by a smile. She bent down to kiss him on the cheek. He laughed then looked at Clarke and asked her to do the same. He giggled when they both started peppering kisses all over his face.

To anyone who didn't know them and walked past the room, they looked like the perfect family. Except they were not a family and the reality of things suddenly dawned on them. They were only teenagers and Aden was going to go back to his family. They probably wouldn't see him again and shouldn't get too attached to him.

"I should go talk to my mom" Clarke said, getting up.

"Okay. Tell me what, okay?" Lexa asked, needing to know what was going to happen to the boy.

"I will"

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

"....I'm scared, Lessa" Aden admitted.

"It's going to be alright, Aden"

"I wanna stay with you forever" Aden said with determination.

Lexa wished it was that easy. If she could she would adopt him right here, right now but he probably had a family waiting for him. A mom maybe or an uncle, an aunt. Worst case scenario, he would end up in a group home. Either way, she would eventually have to say goodbye.

"I will do everything I can to make sure you stay with nice people"

"But....but I wanna stay with you and Clawke" Aden said, his bottom lip shaking as tears formed in his eyes.

Lexa wiped at his tears and caressed his face.

"I know, buddy. But-"

Just then, Abby entered the room, followed by a smiling Clarke.

"I arranged some paperwork and Aden, you'll be coming home with me and Clarke for a few weeks"

"Really?" He asked, his eyes shining with hope.

"Really" Abby confirmed, nodding.

Lexa was beaming. She got up and engulfed Abby in a hug thanking her over and over again. Aden wore the biggest smile they had ever seen and his eyes were filled with joy.

Abby excused herself because she still had some work to do and left the room. Lexa went back next to Aden and pressed a kiss on his forehead, gently caressing his scalp. She was so grateful to Abby for being willing to do this for the boy.

They were about to get out of the room to get some food, thinking Aden had fallen asleep when they heard his voice.

"Lessa !" He squealed, pointing at something above them. He tried to say _'mistletoe'_ but it came out as _'mislestow'_.

They both looked up and indeed, above their head was mistletoe. Lexa didn't know how Aden knew of that tradition but she wasn't about to break it. She leaned forward and captured Clarke's lips. Aden clapped his hands and giggled as they kissed and they pulled away laughing.

 

 

\---------------------------

 

 

Aden stayed in the hospital one more day. Clarke and Lexa brought him new clothes and Abby drove them back home. Aden was now an orphan, his mom having died giving birth to him.

Abby had been granted the right to keep him at her house for a few weeks until they find him a group home or a foster parent. Lexa and Clarke were already ecstatic that they would get to spend a few more weeks with him but what they ignored was that Abby and Jake didn't plan on stopping there. Although they knew it would be hard to do, hence why they didn't tell the girls yet, they had every intention of legally adopting Aden. If everything went the way they want it to, the Griffin family would soon have a new member.

Abby smiled, thinking about it as she watched through the rearview and saw the two girls tickling Aden in the backseat, the boy's loud laughter ringing through the car.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't actually know how the foster system works so if I make mistakes, please don't attack me ;)  
> Feel free to correct me, though


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To those who haven't seen the slight change I made in the last chapter : in the final scene, Abby is now the one driving them back. Therefore, Aden still hasn't met Jake

 

 

On his way back from work, Jake had bought a few clothes and toys for Aden. He placed it all in the living room and waited for the others to come back with the boy. He was excited to meet him but knew he had to be careful around him, knowing the boy's past abuse.

The doorbell rang and he went to open the door. Upon seeing him, Aden let out a small whimper and hid behind Lexa's legs. It was a normal reaction and they knew it would take some time for Aden to adjust to this new life, away from his father and in a new and safe environment.

Lexa turned around and lifted Aden, placing him on her hip. Jake stepped back and let them in, being careful to keep his distance with the boy who was eyeing him fearfully. Aden hid his face in the crook of Lexa's neck and the girl looked at Jake apologetically. Jake mouthed _'it's okay'_ and sat back on the sofa while the girls brought Aden upstairs. They entered Clarke's room and Lexa tried to drop Aden on the bed but the boy had his arms tightly wrapped around her neck and wouldn't let go, clinging to her like a koala does to a branch. Lexa laughed and just layed down on the bed, the boy still pressed against her body. Clarke joined Lexa on the bed and took hold of one of her hands, brushing her thumb against the girl's knuckles. Aden had fallen asleep and was snoring lightly thus they spoke very quietly, not wanting to disturb his sleep.

"What do you think will happen to him after?" Clarke asked although she knew Lexa was just as clueless as her as to what would happen next.

"I don't know...I don't want to leave him" Lexa whispered back.

"My mom will do all she can to find him a nice family" Clarke tried to reassure her to no avail

"But I want _us_ to be his new family" Lexa sadly said.

"I know, baby. Me too" Clarke squeezed her hand.

Clarke approached her hand and very gently caressed Aden's blonde hair, tracing a circling pattern on his scalp. Lexa craned her neck to kiss Clarke. Their lips moving slowly together, their bodies not close enough for their liking but Aden was still sleeping on Lexa and they wouldn't risk waking him up or worse, hurting him.

"I'm heading downstairs" Clarke informed Lexa "you wanna go with?"

"No, I'll stay and watch over the little one" Lexa said, nodding at Aden's sleeping form. Clarke nodded and bent down to place one more kiss on plump lips.

"I love you" she murmured.

"I love you too" Lexa replied, her eyes closed, visibly about to fall asleep herself.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

The fidgeting of the little boy in her arms was what woke Lexa up. Aden was whimpering and stirring in his sleep, clearly having a nightmare. Lexa gently shook the boy to wake him. He started crying as soon as he opened his eyes and Lexa tried to calm him down. Abby bursted into the room and told Lexa she would take care of it. One, because she had already dealt with a lot of scared kids in her line of work and two, because she and Jake would be the ones in charge of raising Aden if they managed to adopt the boy so it would be better if they gained his trust now.

Lexa reluctantly got up from the bed and walked out of the room, looking nervously over her shoulder at Abby trying to soothe the boy. Clarke, who had been standing behind the door since Abby arrived, caught onto her girlfriend's inquietude and pulled her into a hug.

"I feel so useless" Lexa confessed.

"You're doing everything you can"

"But what if that's not enough?"

"It might seem like it now but he just needs to adjust to this new situation. Give it some time"

Lexa nodded into her shoulder. Her arms, which had been hanging loosely against her sides until now, went to circle Clarke's waist. Abby reappearing in the hallway caused them to separate. Abby smiled to herself.

"He fell back asleep" she informed them "I cancelled my shift at the hospital so I'll be here for the rest of the day"

"Thanks, mom"

"Anytime" she nodded then left to give them some privacy.

"See? Nothing to worry about" Clarke said.

Lexa nodded and reclaimed her previous position. Clarke gladly welcomed the girl back in her arms, running a hand through her brown curls.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

Abby sat next to Jake on the old couch. He turned and waved his phone in the air.

"So I made a few calls. They said it will be hard but it's manageable. You'll have to take less shifts though" Jake said.

Abby nodded. She was aware that if they wanted to put all chances on their side, she'd have to work much less. Money wasn't a problem and Jake was even willing to quit his job if it could help. They had a spare room and more than enough space for the toddler.

"It would make the girls so happy if we go through with this" Abby said pensively.

"It would" Jake confirmed "Now we just have to wait to hear back from the agency"

Abby sighed and curled up into Jake. He wrapped a strong arm around her. They were determined to offer Aden the comfort and love he deserves. The decision of whether or not they would be granted the opportunity to do so, however, didn't lie in their hands. The wait and not knowing what would happen was excruciating to both of them.

First of all, they had to make sure Aden felt safe here and that started by proving to the boy that he could trust them. That they wouldn't hurt him. He seemed to trust Abby, probably because she took care of him at the hospital, but he was still wary of Jake, understandably so.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

About half an hour later, they heard wailing and went up the stairs. Lexa and Clarke were already in the room trying to soothe the young boy. Lexa was caressing his hair and Clarke was humming a song and although the cries were not as loud as they were prior to Abby's and Jake's arrival, the boy's chest was still shaking with sobs.

Jake stayed behind, watching from afar, not wanting the boy to be more scared than he already was. The boy had both hands flat on his stomach and Abby quickly understood he was in pain because of the bruises. She ran downstairs and took a bag of ice from the fridge before going back up. She carefully lifted his shirt and placed the bag of ice on his stomach. The boy gasped loudly when the cold of the bag made contact with his skin.

"I'm sorry, Aden but you need to keep this here" she said, pointing at the ice bag "it will make the pain go away"

"No more owie?" He asked.

"No more owie" Abby confirmed, chuckling lightly "when you feel better, we'll go get ice cream" she promised.

At this his eyes lit up and his lips broke into a smile. He let out a happy squeal and then focused his gaze on the bag of ice, pressing it against his stomach with more purpose. His expression turned serious and he set his lips in a hard line. He was a man on a mission, the promise of being treated to ice cream making him determined to heal faster. Lexa chuckled, she brushed his blond hair away from his forehead and bent down to leave a kiss on it. Clarke, sat next to Lexa, looped both arms around her left arm and rested her head on the girl's shoulder.

Lexa shifted her attention from one blonde to another and kissed the crown of Clarke's head. Abby took that as her cue to leave and joined Jake in the hallway, the door closing with a soft thud behind her.

"So, Aden..." Clarke grabbed the boy's attention "do you like disney movies?"

Aden's head tilted on the side "what's that?"

Clarke's heart broke when she remembered that he hadn't had a typical childhood up until now and had probably never watched those kind of movies. She looked to her side and could see Lexa had drawn the same conclusion as her if the sad look on the brunette's face was anything to go by. She redirected her attention to Aden and ruffled his hair.

"we'll show you" she said while getting up to retrieve one of the few disney movies she had in her house. Unlike Lexa who had a whole shelf filled with those, she didn't have that many. She was more into music when she was younger and they had a huge collection of old albums downstairs. She picked out The Jungle Book, figuring it was the kind of movie that Aden would like and put it in the disc player. As the movie began, Aden excitedly clapped his hands then quickly placed them back on the ice bag which was slowly slipping from his stomach due to the loss of pressure on it. He looked at Clarke and Lexa who had taken a seat on chairs beside the bed and frowned.

"Lessa, Clawke, here" he said while patting the space left on each side of him.

They complied and each crawled beside him. Clarke raised her arm over his head and dropped it on his shoulder while Lexa looped hers around Aden's tiny waist. Aden let his body fall into theirs and curled in between them, his head resting on Clarke's chest. Clarke chuckled because it reminded her so much of the position Lexa always takes when they cuddle together.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Lexa looked at them and smiled at the sight. She really couldn't blame Aden for using Clarke's breasts as his personal pillow. After all, she herself did it all the time. Lexa adjusted the ice bag on his stomach with her free arm and finally gazed at the screen.

Aden was completely enraptured by the movie. The occasional giggle he let out melted the girls' hearts.

After thirty minutes, Aden tugged on Lexa's sleeve to gain her attention.

"What is it, buddy?"

He looked up at her, a bit scared "I need to pee" he murmured quietly.

Lexa got up to go with him but before she did that, she wanted to clarify something.

"Aden? Look at me" when he did, she continued "never be afraid to ask for something. You can ask us anything"

"You won't be mad?" He asked, unsure.

"Never" she promised him.

"Dad is always mad" he quietly said, barely audibly and had Lexa not been paying close attention, she probably would have missed it.

"Listen to me, what your dad did to you was wrong. I promise you that you are safe here, okay?"

Aden nodded slowly and Lexa grabbed his small hand to guide him towards the bathroom. Clarke had never been more proud of her girlfriend. She paused the movie and waited for them to come back. She could have gone with them but she didn't want to overwhelm the boy.

When they returned, Lexa was carrying Aden on her back, the boy's arms tightly wrapped around her neck. She sat down, presenting her back to Clarke so Aden could get down from it without hurting himself. Clarke gently grabbed the boy by placing both hands on his armpits, purposely avoiding his hips because of the bruises that covered that area of his body. When the boy looked out the window, he let out a gasp.

"Snow !" He yelled excitedly, bouncing on the bed and pointing outside.

He got down from the bed and was already walking towards the door. Lexa and Clarke quickly got on their feet as well to follow him.

"Alright, alright, slow down, little man" Clarke told him "you wanna play in the snow?"

He nodded several times, a grin splitting his face. Luckily, Jake had kept Clarke's old clothes from when she was a toddler and it didn't take them long to find him an outfit that was suitable to play in the snow. Now fully covered in several layers of clothes and with a beanie, a scarf and gloves, Aden was ready to go outside.

Jake insisted to go in the garden with them this time, figuring it was a good opportunity to prove to Aden that he had nothing to fear from him. He shrugged on a thick jacket and joined them outside. Aden tensed when he approached them and Clarke quickly crouched down in front of the boy.

"Aden, this is my father. You don't have to be afraid, he's really nice" she tried to appease the boy's fear.

Aden eyed the man warily. However, when he understood that Clarke and Lexa trusted him, he lowered his guard. Thus, when Jake got closer to him, he didn't hide or run away. Jake crouched down as well and smiled at the boy.

"Hi, Aden. I'm Jake"

"H-Hi" Aden replied, looking up at the man

"Do you want to build a snowman?" Jake asked.

"A snowman?!" the toddler's facial expression radically changed and he was now grinning from ear to ear.

"Yes, let's go" Jake said, waiting for Aden to follow him.

They started making piles with the snow and the two girls helped Jake mold them into big snow balls while Aden watched, giggling and clapping his hands from time to time. They placed the biggest snowball in the middle of the garden. This would be the base of the snowman. Aden got closer and wrapped his arms around the snowball which was almost the same height as him. Lexa laughed and pulled the boy away from it. They didn't want him to catch a cold. They placed the two other snowballs on top of the first one, one at a time. The smallest of all being placed at the top. Jake went inside to get a carrot for the nose and some blueberries for the eyes and the mouth (it was the best he could find). They placed the nose and the eyes and Lexa lifted Aden in her arms so he could place the carrot in the middle. Except when he tried to do so, he put too much pressure on the snowball and the snowman's head fell to the ground and fell apart in the process. Aden's lower lip started shaking as sobs threatened to escape. He looked guiltily at Jake as a tears leaked from his eyes.

"Aden, don't cry, it's okay" Lexa told him, caressing his hair. Aden's cries didn't let up and he looked back at Jake.

"Are you going to hit me like dad?" he said through sobs.

And in that moment, the hearts of Clarke, Lexa and Jake shattered in a thousand pieces.

"No, Aden. I would never do that" Jake said, getting closer to the boy who was still held by Lexa.

He took off his gloves and gently took both of the toddler's cheeks in his hands, wiping at his tears "You are safe here. No one will hurt you, okay?"

Aden nodded in Jake's hands and Jake extended his arms, a silent request to hold the boy. After making sure Aden was comfortable with it, Lexa let Jake take him into his arms. Jake placed one arm under the boy's thighs and used the other to hold the back of his head. Lexa walked towards Clarke and together they made another snowball for the head of the snowman. This time, when Aden placed the carrot, he did it very slowly and carefully. Jake stepped back and Aden admired their work, grinning.

Lexa and Clarke went back inside while Jake put Aden on his shoulders and started running around, the boy giggling.

"Everything okay outside?" Abby asked.

"Yeah. Aden is starting to trust Dad, I think" Clarke said, chewing on a blueberry.

Abby nodded. This was good. If they wanted a chance at adopting the boy, they had to make sure he felt comfortable here. And that meant trusting each and every person who's part of the family.

Clarke took a few blueberries and feeded them to Lexa, the girls giggling happily.

"Please, take that gay shit elsewhere" Abby complained, though she didn't really mean it. She loved to see how happy Lexa made her daughter.

"Abigail, language !" Jake said in a high pitched voice as he walked into the living room with Aden still on his shoulders, imitating how Abby acts whenever he's the one who curses.

Abby rolled her eyes, a smile playing on her lips and Clarke laughed. She took Aden's hand in hers after Jake placed him back on the ground and went in the hallway to relieve him of his _too warm for inside_ clothes.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

Aden had been staying with them for almost a week now. Jake was slowly gaining his trust and he couldn't be happier about it.

Tonight was New Year's Eve. The Griffins and The Woods would once again reunite. They had agreed to eat earlier because Aden had to go to sleep around 7.30 PM.

Lexa was already at the Griffin's, and she had brought a few dresses to try on. Clarke had already decided on which dress she would wear and Lexa had been stunned when she had seen it. It was a long-sleeved black dress with a V back, revealing part of Clarke's back.

"Lexa, you are beautiful either way" Clarke told her after she had tried on all the dresses and was still hesitating.

"But which one is the best?" Lexa asked.

"Okay, I would like to point out that this is New Year's Eve. You're not going to meet Michelle Obama" Lexa rolled her eyes " _BUT_ if I had to choose one, I really loved the white one. Besides, that way we'll match"

Lexa slipped out of the dress she had on and put on the white one instead. Clarke was right, this dress really was beautiful. It was a single strap dress that stopped at her knees. Indra had bought it for her last year but she hadn't had the occasion to wear it yet.

The blonde walked up to her and kissed her softly, placing one hand on her cheek and one on her waist.

"You are so beautiful" she whispered against Lexa's lips and kissed her once more before intertwining their fingers and leading them downstairs where most of their families already were. Anya would arrive a little later.

Aden seemed a bit unsettled because of the two new people in the living room  but Jake and Abby quickly reassured him that he had nothing to worry about. When Aden spotted the girls walking down the stairs, his smile grew bigger. Clarke took a seat at the table and lifted Aden on her knees. His bruises were considerably less significant than they were a week ago and they could now carry him without hurting him. They were still extremely careful, though. _Better be safe than sorry,_ Jake had said.

"So, is there some progress with the adoption process?" Indra asked Abby quietly. She had been told that Lexa and Clarke didn't know about it yet.

"A little. We've already talked to the agency a few times and yesterday they told us we were very likely to be able to go through with this. Aden's assigned social worker will have to come visit the house and then there's all the paperwork of course but apparently we're promising candidates" Abby explained.

"Well, fingers crossed" Indra said.

"Fingers crossed" Abby agreed.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

Anya arrived about half an hour later. She immediately went to introduce herself to Aden and Lexa was shocked to see Anya be so soft around a kid. She had always claimed she hated them but now, she was fondly ruffling Aden's hair. Lexa raised a curious eyebrow when she met her sister's stare.

"What? He's cute" Anya shrugged. Lexa simply hummed because yes, indeed, Aden was the cutest kid she had ever seen.

Another half hour passed and it was now time for Aden to go to bed.

"Alright, Aden, time to go to sleep" Jake told the boy who was currently watching tv with Anya and Lincoln.

"Nooo" Aden whined.

"We got it" Lexa and Clarke told Jake in unison. They smiled at each other and each took one of Aden's hands. Surprisingly, he didn't put up a fight and let them take him to the bedroom.

"Bye, cute kid" Anya said.

"Bye, Anya" Aden let go of Lexa's hand temporarily to wave her goodbye.

Lexa mouthed _'thank you'_ at her sister and took Aden's hand back in hers. They tucked him in their bed and both left a kiss on his forehead. He told them to come closer and left a wet kiss on both their cheeks. They stayed with him until his breathing evened out, then joined the others in the dining room.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

The countdown was about to happen. Anya, Jake, Indra, Lincoln and Abby were in the dining room while Clarke was on Lexa's lap in the living room, her arms wrapped around the brunette's shoulders and her head resting in the crook of her neck.

 

_10_

 

Clarke softly kissed Lexa's neck as Lexa tightened her hold on the blonde's waist.

 

_9_

 

Lexa slightly lifted Clarke's shirt and started tracing circles on soft skin.

 

_8_

 

Clarke lifted her head to look into Lexa's eyes.

 

_7_

 

Lexa stared back and lost herself in a sea of blue.

 

_6_

 

Clarke leaned her forehead against Lexa's.

 

_5_

 

Lexa placed her hand over the blonde's heart then took Clarke's hand and placed it over her own heart.

 

_4_

 

Every other sound was muted as they listened to the other's heartbeat.

 

_3_

 

"I love you" Clarke whispered.

 

_2_

 

"I love you too" Lexa replied.

 

_1_

 

Lexa pulled away slightly, their faces still only a few inches away.

"Happy New Y-" Lexa started saying but she was cut off when Clarke smashed their lips together. She hummed into the kiss and reciprocated it with just as much intensity.

Cheers erupted around them as their families wished each other a Happy New Year but they didn't take notice of it, being too wrapped up in each other. The cheers weren't that loud though because they didn't want to wake Aden up.

Jake pulled out his phone, and snapped a picture of the two girls. He then kissed his wife and hugged Indra, Anya and Lincoln.

When Lexa and Clarke joined Aden in bed that night, the boy turned on his side and gripped Lexa's shirt in his fists while both girls draped their arms over his body.

"Night Lessa. Night Clawke" he whispered, his voice slurry with sleep, startling both girls who thought he was asleep.

"Goodnight, Aden" they whispered together.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a lot of schoolwork to do this week so next update probably won't be until Friday


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for taking so long to update! School is a bit crazy at the moment but things should settle a bit by next week

 

 

"Where is Lessa?" Aden asked Clarke when he woke up the next morning.

"She had to go back home but she'll be here tonight" Clarke explained.

It was Lincoln's last day in town and Lexa wanted to spend the whole day with him and Anya. She didn't want to wake Aden up just to say goodbye so she let him sleep and left, telling Clarke she'd be back before Aden's bedtime.

Aden pouted and rubbed his eyes to chase the sleep away. He nodded nonetheless and opened his arms so Clarke could carry him. The girl lifted him in her arms and carried him downstairs to have breakfast, the boy snuggling his face in her neck.

She gave Aden a spoon and poured milk in his cereals. Maybe letting him eat by himself was not such a good idea because Aden accidently splashed milk all over the table. He giggled and used the spoon as some sort of catapult to splash milk on Clarke as well. She jumped out of her seat and squinted her eyes at the boy. **_Oh, it's on._**

She went into the kitchen and grabbed a tube of liquid chocolate. She pressed on it to get some on her hand and went back in the dining room. She smeared it on both Aden's cheeks while holding the boy close to her. The boy wiggled in her arms, trying to break free.

"No, no Clawke, no" he giggled as she smeared chocolate on his forehead.

To make her let go, he pinched her hips. Clarke jumped away in surprise. **_Damn, that kid is smart,_** she thought.

After cleaning up his face, she picked him up and held him over her right shoulder. He was upside down behind her, his tiny fist hitting Clarke's back in protest as she held him tightly by the legs, making sure he didn't fall.

"Let go!" He giggled some more as he grabbed her shirt, pulling at it.

She walked towards the living room and sat on the couch. She carefully let go of him, bringing him back in front of her. He layed down on the couch and rested his head in her lap. She then played with his hair until a small hand covered her own.

"I don't want to leave" he said, breaking the silence.

"I know, buddy. I don't want that either" Clarke said while caressing his cheek with her thumb.

"Clawke?" He looked up at her.

"Yes, Aden?"

"I love you" he whispered.

Clarke's eyes started to get watery as she replied. She would tell Lexa about it tonight.

"I love you too, Aden"

"You do?" He asked, surprise evident in his voice. No one had ever told him that and he didn't think anyone ever would.

"Of course I do" she said, tears falling from her eyes.

"I love Lessa too. She's great and-" he stopped talking when he saw her crying "No, don't cry. Why you crying, Clawke?" He said cupping her cheeks and clumsily wiping at her tears. His eyes became glassy with tears as well because he thought she was sad because of something he had said.

"I'm fine, those are happy tears. I promise" she reassured him, leaning closer to kiss him on the forehead. Oh yes, she was definitely telling Lexa about this later.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

Aden was playing in the living room with Clarke when Lexa came back home. Aden was sitting across Clarke and had his back to Lexa. She sneaked up on him and covered his eyes with her hands.

"Guess who" she whispered in his ear.

Aden grabbed her hands and pulled them away from his eyes, turning his head to look at the newcomer.

"Lessa!!" He squealed with joy and hugged her legs tightly.

"Hey buddy" she said as she ruffled his hair affectionately.

Clarke got up and pressed a kiss to Lexa's lips.

"I missed you" she murmured

"I missed Lessa more" Aden competitively said, the words a bit muffled because of his face being pressed against Lexa's legs.

Clarke laughed and let him have this one. She put the toys back in their place as Lexa guided Aden upstairs.

"Don't you dare start a movie without me!" Clarke yelled when they disappeared from her sight.

"You know I would never" Lexa yelled back.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

That night, Lexa cried when Aden told her he loves her and she tearily said it back. Aden was confused and he was starting to wonder if maybe he should stop telling people he loved them because it seemed that they cried everytime he did.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

Aden was sobbing when Clarke and Lexa announced to him that they had to go back to school. They had tried explaining to him that they would return home at the end of the day but he didn't want them to leave at all. The girls almost gave in and accepted to stay home with him but they couldn't. Aden had to get used to them not being there. Especially since his time with them was coming to an end. Or so they thought.

In the past few weeks, Jake and Abby had done everything they could to finalize Aden's adoption and today, his social worker would come to visit the house and decide whether or not it is a suitable environment for him to live in.

A few hours after the girls left for school, a woman in a tailored suit knocked at their door and introduced herself, her face split into a wide smile. **_This is a good sign,_ ** Jake thought as he shook the woman's hand.

"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Griffin. I'm Niylah Pine, Aden's social worker" she cheerfully said.

"Nice to meet you, please come in" Abby said, stepping aside to let her enter the house.

 _"Why does everyone around us have a nature-related last name?"_ Jake whispered to Abby.

Abby chuckled quietly and shushed him.

"So, where's the little one?" Niylah asked, looking around.

"Oh, he's sleeping right now" Abby informed her.

"Oh it's fine. I'll have to talk to him eventually but I can come by again another day if needed" she told them, grabbing a pen and a notepad.

After answering a series of questions, Abby heard some movements upstairs and excused herself to check up on Aden. The boy was now awake and he was looking through Clarke's wardrobe, clothes scattered all around the floor. Aden was currently fighting against one of Clarke's shirts which he seemed to be stuck in and which was covering the upper part of his face. Tiny hands pushed against the fabric of the shirt to pull it off of him.

Abby chuckled and helped him get rid of the item of clothing. She took his hand and walked them downstairs. She stopped at the last stair and turned to look at Aden. The boy looked at her questioningly.

"Aden, there is someone in the living room who is here to ask you a few questions" she told him slowly "do you think you can go talk with her for a little bit? We will be right beside you the whole time"

When he nodded, Abby grabbed his hand again and brought the boy to sit on the couch, in front of Niylah. The latter extended her hand towards him and smiled warmly.

"Hi, Aden. I'm Niylah" she was not surprised when the boy didn't shake her hand. She knew of the situation. At least he wasn't crying. Just looking at her very, very... _very_ intensely. She cleared her throat and gripped her sketchpad tighter.

"so Aden, do you like it here?"

At this, Aden nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes! It's great. And Lessa and Clawke are great too!"

He grinned thinking of the two girls. He couldn't wait till' they were back so they could play together.

"Clarke and Lessa?" Niylah asked the couple.

 _"Lexa"_ Abby corrected "Clarke is my daughter and Lexa is her girlfriend. They're the ones who met Aden at the Christmas market" she explained.

"Yes! Right. I remember reading about it in the report" Niylah exclaimed "Can I have a few minutes alone with Aden?" she asked.

They hesitated because they didn't want to leave the young boy alone but nodded in agreement. They left the room and Abby faintly heard Niylah's question before her voice was out of earshot.

"So what about Clarke and Lexa?" Niylah asked as she leaned against the back of the rocking chair.

Abby and Jake observed from the kitchen as Aden launched himself into a long story and Niylah nodded along, scribbling some notes. He talked excitedly and moved his arms around as he explained things. They couldn't hear what was said but from the joy on the boy's face, they knew he was still talking about Clarke and Lexa.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

Clarke's history class was almost over. It was the only class she didn't share with Lexa. She loved observing Lexa during class. Not having her there forced her to actually pay attention to what her teacher was saying and she was bored out of her mind. Finally, the bell rang and she gathered her stuff and left. When she saw her girlfriend standing at the other end of the hallway, she smiled brightly and strode forward to meet her halfway.

She saw Finn approach Lexa but the brunette didn't seem to notice him as her full attention was on Clarke. The blonde walked faster but before she could catch up with them, Finn had pushed Lexa against the lockers, letting out an insincere _'oops, sorry. Didn't see you'_

He laughed at her and started walking backwards. As he took a step backwards, his foot hit something behind him. He gasped and waved his arms in the air, trying to keep his balance to no avail, then fell on his ass in the middle of the hallway.

Clarke retracted her foot which she had placed behind Finn's ankle to make him trip and looked down at him saying _'oops, sorry. Didn't see you'_

Clarke then went to Lexa who was wiping at the bit of dust she got on her pants.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm good, don't worry"

"I'll always worry about you" Clarke whispered, completely forgetting they were at school, in a hallway filled with many other students.

This kind of thing always happened. Whenever she was around Lexa, she would completely shut out her surroundings and focus fully on the girl in front of her. On those mesmerizing green eyes that she loved so much. Everything else would suddenly be relayed to the background.

Lexa smiled sweetly at her and dipped her head to place a chaste kiss on her lips. Finn scowled at them.

"Seriously, Clarke?" He loudly said, gathering attention "you're going to choose _that_ over me?"

"Shut up, Finn. You were never an option. You're not that important" Clarke said, rolling her eyes.

"You're making a mistake. _I_ am the most popular guy here and-"

"You're just a sad excuse for a human being. I'm not going to date you. Ever. Just let it go" Clarke said, trying to keep her anger at bay.

"Just give me a chance. You won't regret it" he tried and Lexa rolled her eyes because _**he can't take the goddamn hint**_

Clarke didn't even grace him with a response. She linked her fingers with Lexa's and turned to leave.

"And don't come near me or my girlfriend again" she said over her shoulder.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

They were eating their lunch on the roof, talking about random things when the topic of a second date came up.

"I want to take you on a date" Lexa said.

She had found the perfect place to bring Clarke and couldn't wait for the blonde to see what she had in mind. If the blonde agreed to a date, that is.

"I thought we were already dating?" Clarke smirked, raising a teasing eyebrow.

"You know what I meant, Clarke" Lexa blushed.

"I'd love to go on a date with you, Lexa"

Lexa smiled contentedly and pecked Clarke's lips. Clarke settled between Lexa's legs and the brunette circled her waist from behind, pressing a kiss in her hair. Clarke brought her hands to the ones on her waist and threated her fingers through Lexa's.

Lexa disconnected their hands for a few seconds to brush Clarke's hair aside. She then reconnected their hands and left soft kisses along the line of Clarke's neck. Clarke hummed and relaxed in her arms. They were just happy to be able to share a few peaceful moments before their afternoon classes.

They stayed like this until they had to come back down for the last three periods of the day.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

They came home, smiling at the thought that they would see Aden again. As soon as Clarke stepped into her house, a weight smashed against her body. A very happy Aden rested his head on her stomach as she ran her hand through his hair.

"Hey, Aden" Lexa said.

Upon hearing her voice, he pulled away from Clarke and hugged Lexa. Lexa bent down and picked him up, carrying him to Clarke's bedroom. She dropped him on the bed and tickled him, soon joined by Clarke.

"S-stop" Aden let out through uncontrollable laughter, rolling on the bed to try and escape them.

Aden's giggles were like music to their ears so they kept on tickling him a bit more before finally giving him a break. They dropped next to him on the bed and sandwiched him in a hug. Aden saw that as an opportunity to retaliate. He slipped his fingers between his body and Lexa's and tickled her. Lexa let out the cutest giggle Clarke had ever heard and Clarke was torn between wanting to kiss her or tickle her so she could hear that sound again. She decided on the latter and her and Aden ganged up on the brunette who fled the room, laughing loudly.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

"So you're really not going to tell me where we're going?" Clarke whined in the passenger's seat.

"It sucks not knowing, doesn't it? Serves you right for doing this to me last time"

"If you're taking us to a fancy restaurant, you're not paying" Clarke warned her.

Lexa had told Clarke to dress a bit fancy for their date. Therefore, Clarke wore a black dress that fell to her knees and that showed just the right amount of cleavage. Lexa, as for her, was also wearing a dress, which was a rare occurence. She usually preferred to wear pants but she wanted to surprise Clarke. And surprised, she was. When Clarke had seen Lexa wearing a beautiful knee-length green dress, she had been at loss for words. She had simply stared at her, the only sound coming out of her mouth being a breathy _'wow'_

"I'm not taking you to a fancy restaurant. And for the record, I would _never_ let you pay for a date I planned so get that idea out of your pretty head"

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

Clarke stood before the entrance, an astonished look on her face. She couldn't believe it. Lexa had brought her to an art gallery. She had mentioned in passing that she wanted to go see one but she didn't think Lexa remembered.

"Lexa....I..." Clarke didn't know what to say so she just grabbed Lexa's face and kissed her deeply.

"Thank you" she whispered when she broke the kiss.

"Shall we go inside?" Lexa asked.

Clarke smiled and grabbed her arm, eagerly pulling the girl inside the building.

As soon as they bought their tickets, Clarke bolted through the doors that led to the exposition. Lexa watched as awe and joy etched itself on Clarke's features and although she didn't know much about art and probably wouldn't go to an exposition by herself, she relished in how happy Clarke looked.

Clarke spent a very long time scrutinizing each painting and Lexa happily followed her and listened to her rambling about art and blurting out random facts. She occasionally interrupted the blonde by pressing a kiss either on her lips or her cheek.

When they left the building a couple hours later, Clarke sighed happily. "This was amazing, Lexa"

"I'm glad you liked it"

" _Liked_? Baby, I loved it! And I'm sorry for talking so much. It must have been annoying for you"

"Absolutely not" Lexa denied "I love listening to you talk so passionately about something. Besides, the paintings were very good" she assured the blonde.

Clarke squeezed her hand in a silent _'thank you'_

"Although, I have to admit, you were the most beautiful piece of art I've seen tonight" Lexa grinned, obviously very proud of herself.

"Smooth talker" Clarke playfully bumped her shoulder against Lexa's.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

Clarke complained about being hungry so Lexa got behind the wheel and they drove around the city, trying to find a place to eat. Clarke grinned mischievously and told Lexa to pull to a stop. Lexa frowned at her then looked around and shook her head quickly.

"No, Clarke. We're not going to eat at McDonald's in those clothes!"

"Yes, we are. Come on, it'll be fun!" Clarke urged her to get out of the car.

When they entered, they gathered many curious looks and the employee taking their order seemed a bit flustered. He also spent way too much time checking Lexa out for Clarke's liking.

Clarke wrapped one arm against Lexa's waist and clearly the boy still didn't get the hint because he scribbled his phone number on the receipt before handing it to Lexa with a hopeful smile. Lexa raised an eyebrow and looked back at the boy, trying to find a way to let him down without hurting his feelings too much.

"Sorry...uh I already have someone" she said, rubbing the back of her neck.

"I bet I can make you happier than he does" the employee confidently said and Clarke rolled her eyes because ** _how typical._**

" _She_ is amazing and makes me very happy" Lexa said, looking at Clarke.

The employee blushed, realizing his mistake and quickly handed them their food, avoiding eye contact with Clarke who was shooting daggers at him with her eyes. Lexa paid, grabbed their bags of food and walked outside, Clarke clinging to her arm, peppering small kisses on her cheek.

Lexa drove them back on the top of the hill where they had gone for their first date.

After they had finished eating, Clarke went to grab the blanket in the truck of her car and they both sat in the grass. Clarke went behind Lexa and covered both their bodies with the blanket as she wrapped her arms around the brunette's shoulders and buried her face in brown curls.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

When they got back home, everyone was already asleep. Aden had gone to sleep with Abby and Jake because the girls were out. They slipped under the covers and Lexa immediatly slung an arm across Clarke's stomach, snuggling into the blonde. She rested her head on her chest and listened to her heartbeat.

"I love you" Clarke whispered

"I love you too"

Clarke fell asleep first and Lexa stayed up, reflecting on how much her life had changed for the better since she had met Clarke. Eventually, she fell asleep as well and during the night, a small body climbed on the bed and slipped between them.

 

 


	17. Chapter 17

 

 

Jake and Abby had left with Aden to go to the zoo which meant the girls had the house all to themselves for the entirety of the day. If Clarke thought that meant they would spend the day relaxing, she was wrong. Ever since Lexa arrived in the morning, she was anxiously pacing, worrying about an oral presentation they'll have to do in front of the class individually in the following days.

Lexa has always hated doing oral presentations. Having everyone looking at her while she spoke made her feel really uneasy. She is able to write a five hundred word essay worthy of an A+ in less than an hour but put her in front of the class for a two minute presentation and she'll freak out.

"Baby, you're going to do fine" Clarke told her, patting the bed so Lexa joined her.

Lexa stopped her movements and looked at Clarke, unconvinced, for a few seconds before resuming pacing frantically.

"You don't know that. What if I forget everything? What if I start stuttering or say things that don't make sense, what if-"

"You won't. You have done this before and it went well" Clarke interrupted the brunette's rambling

"Because I was with Luna" Clarke scowled at the name "It's easier when you're not alone"

"Baby"

"Yeah?" Lexa nervously answered.

"Come here" Clarke opened her arms and the brunette crawled in them, sinking into the embrace. Clarke kissed her head and stroked her hair in a soothing pattern. She felt Lexa progressively relax in her arms but the girl was still a bit tense.

"You are the most amazing person I know and you are super smart. You just need to believe in yourself a little more"

"I don't know, Clarke" Lexa mumbled.

"Well, I do. Now, how about we just relax, watch something on tv maybe?" Clarke offered. Anything to take Lexa's mind off of this.

"A movie does sound nice" Lexa shyly admitted.

Clarke got up to grab her dvd of 'Mulan' and positioned herself behind her, circling her waist with both arms and grabbing the brunette's hands in hers. Mulan was Lexa's favorite movie. If she wanted Lexa to stop thinking about school, that was the movie to watch.

As predicted, thirty minutes into the movie, Lexa was snuggled into Clarke under the blanket, happily singing along to the songs. Clarke gave herself a mental pat on the back and tightened her arms around Lexa's waist.

The movie was coming to an end and Clarke thought Lexa had fallen asleep because the girl wasn't moving much anymore. That's why when Lexa spoke up, Clarke startled a bit. A smile was instantly plastered on her face at the girl's words.

"I love you so much, Clarke. I always will"

It was said sleepily, Lexa's voice barely above a whisper. Clarke dropped her head where Lexa's neck curves into her shoulder. She pressed a soft kiss there and whispered in her ear

"I love you too. Always"

The only indication Lexa had heard her was the soft humming sound she let out before her breathing evened out. Clarke wiped at the single tear that escaped and slowly turned them on their sides, careful as to not wake Lexa up. Lexa linked their fingers in her sleep and Clarke kissed her neck on the small spot that wasn't currently covered by her hair.

Clarke wasn't as tired as Lexa so she stayed awake, simply relishing in this moment of peace. Simply enjoying the feeling of having Lexa's body pressed against hers. She would forever wonder what she has done to deserve Lexa. She was so glad she decided to help the brunette on her first day here. She had never felt so happy and she wouldn't trade it for the world.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

Clarke gets her periods later that day and she feels like she's dying inside.

Lexa being the amazing girlfriend that she is, went to get some things to cheer her up. She quickly jumped into Clarke's car and drove around town until she found the shop or rather shops she was looking for. When she entered Clarke's bedroom again, the blonde was clutching tightly at her stomach, huddled in blankets and she was groaning into the pillows.

Lexa softly knocked at the door and Clarke lifted her head to look at her. Her eyebrows shot up to her hairline when she saw the box of chocolate Lexa was holding in her right hand and she sat up. Lexa was also holding another box which Clarke couldn't identify the contents of.

"Lexa...you didn't have to"

"I know. I wanted to" she assured her, brushing away a strand of hair that had escaped Clarke's bun.

"Thank you. I don't know how t-" Clarke stopped when she saw the picture on the other box and burst out laughing. Lexa looked at her confusedly and Clarke pointed to Lexa's right. Once her laughter died down, she took a few breaths and looked fondly at Lexa.

"You totally bought that for yourself. Don't you even lie to me" Clarke said.

"N-no...I....I didn't. I thought it might cheer you up a bit" Lexa replied blushing.

Next to Lexa, on the bed, had been set a box full of diverse kinds of scented candles. Clarke had noticed how much Lexa loved candles in the two months they had been together. There would always be at least three of those next to the brunette's bed and let's not start on how many of those were in her living room.

"Yeah, right. To _'cheer me up'_ of course" Clarke teased her.

"Uh- I....it's n-not uhh" Lexa stuttered.

"It's fine, babe. I think it's cute" Lexa blushed harder and hid her face behind the box of chocolate.

"I'm not cute" she mumbled.

"Yes, you are. You're my cute little dork"

Clarke pulled the chocolate away from the brunette's face and poked her nose while Lexa tried to keep the serious expression on her face. After a few more seconds of Clarke poking her nose and lightly pinching her cheeks, Lexa's smile broke free and Clarke smiled back.She lifted the blanket so Lexa could slip under it. Once Lexa was next to her, their legs brushing, she cupped Lexa's cheeks and kissed her. Lexa inhaled deeply and brought her hand to Clarke's hip. Their lips moved slowly together as they layed down on the bed, on their sides, never once breaking the kiss. Clarke's hand slipped under Lexa's shirt and brushed against soft skin.

They separated when the need for air became too strong. Clarke's eyes remained closed for a few more seconds and when she opened them again, she was met with the sight of a very flustered Lexa. The brunette's cheeks were slightly flushed, her eyes a bit unfocused and her lips were parted, light puffs of air leaving those plump lips that Clarke was addicted to.

Clarke groaned when she felt a pain in her stomach and in the small of her back. She had almost forgotten about her period cramps. Lexa brought a hand to her cheek and caressed it gently, dipping her head every so often to press her lips on all parts of Clarke's face ; on her forehead, on her cheeks, on the tip of her nose, on her chin _-her adorable chin, according to Lexa-_ , on her eyelids and finally on her pink lips. Clarke's giggles warmed Lexa's heart and she looked lovingly at the blonde who was looking back at her, her expression mimicking Lexa's. Lexa couldn't resist leaning forward to capture her lips in a sweet kiss once again. Clarke tried to deepen it but Lexa pulled away, chuckling at Clarke's childish pout.

"Later" Lexa promised "right now, I have a surprise for you"

Clarke's eyes lit up and she tried to sneak a peek behind Lexa, hoping to see what it was. Lexa chuckled again and took the blonde's chin between her fingers to bring her gaze back on her.

"I'll be right back" she murmured, kissing the blonde to cut off the sound of protest Clarke made.

She rummaged through her bag and found what she had been looking for. She grabbed the sheet of paper and hid it behind her back as she slipped back inside Clarke's room. She walked towards the bed and once she was next to Clarke who was looking expectantly at her, she brought the sheet of paper in front of her, revealing it to Clarke. Clarke laughed upon seeing it and took it from Lexa's hands to get a closer look. Lexa sat across from Clarke on the bed and waited.

On the paper was a drawing made by Lexa of the two of them hanging out on the rooftop of the school. To say it was badly drawn would be an understatement. What caught Clarke's attention next was the sentence written in black ink at the bottom. There, were written the words _'They say it's the intention that counts and I guess they're right. I am not incredibly talented like you are but I love you and I can only hope that's enough'_

If the drawing itself had made her laugh, this sentence made her tear up a bit _(a lot)_. She looked back at Lexa who appeared a bit blurry due to the tears that had formed in her eyes. She placed the drawing aside, cupped her cheeks and smashed her lips against Lexa's.

Lexa's eyebrows shot up as well as her hands which she then brought down to wrap around Clarke's wrists.

Clarke pulled back and whispered _'I love you'_ several times before reconnecting their lips. Her tongue ran over Lexa's bottom lip, begging for entrance which Lexa granted by opening her lips. Their lips and tongues now moving together in a coordinated dance.

Clarke changed the angle of the kiss and one of her hands tangled in brunette curls while Lexa's left hand dropped to Clarke's hip. Clarke slowly pulled away and left one more brief kiss on Lexa's lips before looking at the drawing again tracing Lexa's handwriting with her index finger.

"I love you" she said one more time.

"I love you too" Lexa reciprocated, smiling brightly.

"Now, give me my chocolate" Clarke said, extending her hand. Lexa laughed and reached behind her for it.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

Clarke had been late this morning so Lexa went to school alone. As soon as she stepped into the parking lot, she saw Bellamy Blake walking towards her. She rolled her eyes and was about to turn on her heels and go by the other entrance when he grabbed her wrist and forced her to turn around. She snatched her arm away from his grip.

"What do you want, Blake?" She snarled.

"Just wanted to warn you" he shrugged.

"I don't know what on earth you're talking about and I don't want to, so bye" she said, walking past him.

"Oh so you think Clarke is serious about you? Please" he scoffed.

She stopped walking upon hearing the blonde's name. Bellamy took this as an indication that he could continue and kept speaking.

"She's just using you. It's what she does. Makes you think she cares about you then leaves you. Happened to me, to Finn and now to you"

"She's not like that" Lexa defended the girl, frowning.

"But she is. She is really good at manipulating people. You seriously think she won't leave you once she finds someone better? So what, she told you she loves you? And you believe her? I wouldn't be surprised if she found someone else by next month" He laughed and shook his head.

Lexa tried her best not to let his words get to her. She trusted Clarke. That was not the problem. The problem was that his words hit way too close to home. As if he knew what had happened with Costia...

Ever since Costia lied to her about loving her, she had been reluctant at the idea of opening herself up to anyone. She had promised herself not to fall in love again but Clarke had stumbled into her life and suddenly, Lexa had completely forgotten about that promise. She fell hard and fast and there was no way she could have prevented it. She wouldn't change anything about it, even if she could. So no, the problem wasn't that she didn't trust Clarke. The issue was that Bellamy was using her insecurities against her and it hurt.

A blur of blonde pulled her out of her thoughts as Clarke pushed Bellamy away from her.

"Get away from her" Clarke said through gritted teeth.

Bellamy grinned devishily and raised his hands in surrender, walking away from them. He was up to something. Lexa didn't know what, but she had to find out.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

Clarke had gone to get Lexa's bag which she had forgotten in the locker room after soccer practice. Lexa had offered to go herself but Clarke insisted that she wanted to do that for her. That left Lexa alone in the parking lot. She leaned against the wall and pulled out her phone, checking her social media.

She was distracted so she didn't see the two shadows approaching her until it was too late. A punch landed on her nose and she fell heavily to the ground. She looked up and barely had time to identify Bellamy and Murphy before the former kicked her in the stomach repeatedly.

"Stay the fuck away from my Clarke" he told her before kicking her again.

Murphy was behind him, trying to stop him. Even he could see this was a bad idea.

"Bell, come on. Let's go" he whispered loudly, tugging on the boy's arm while looking around anxiously. No one was around at the moment but anyone could walk into the parking lot and see them.

Bellamy didn't seem to hear him as he continued his attack on Lexa's ribs. The brunette let out a sharp cry as she felt the pain of the hits.

"Clarke. Is. Mine" he said between kicks.

Bellamy heard footsteps coming their way and abruptly stopped. Him and Murphy ran away precipitously and a couple seconds later, Clarke came into Lexa's sight, looking horrified.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Clarke gasped loudly and her hand went to cover her mouth as she took in the sight of Lexa curled up on the floor, clutching at her stomach tightly, the lower part of her face covered in blood which was flowing out of her nose.

"LEXA!"

She ran towards her and crouched down next to the girl, cradling her face.

"Hey..." Lexa let out, smiling weakly.

"Don't you _'hey'_ me ,dumbass" Clarke scolded her, lifting her shirt to evaluate the severity of her injuries.

She brought a shaking hand closer and brushed it against the marks. Lexa winced at the pain that shot through her when Clarke applied pressure and Clarke quickly retracted her hand.

"Holy shit Lexa! Are you okay?" A third voice said from behind them. They turned to see the shocked faces of Octavia and Raven.

"Bellamy...." Lexa whispered, looking away in shame. She wasn't able to defend herself. **_How was she supposed to protect Clarke if she couldn't even protect herself?_**

Clarke was angry. She was seething but she had also caught on the sad expression on her girlfriend's face and pushed her anger aside to take care of Lexa. She grabbed her chin and locked her eyes with watery green ones.

"I'm sorry, Clarke..." Lexa mumbled.

"Sorry for what, Lexa? It's not your fault"

"I can't protect us from them....I'm so weak" her voice cracked on the last word and Clarke quickly cupped her cheeks.

Raven and Octavia felt like they were intruding on a very intimate moment so they stepped a few feet away from the girls. If they happened to eavesdrop a bit, it was purely accidental, of course.

"Baby, no. You are the strongest person I know" Clarke firmly said.

"I'm not strong..." Lexa dejectedly said.

"Yes. Yes, you are. And I'll repeat it until you believe it. You are strong, Lexa. And I love you"

Lexa weakly nodded and tried to say it back but the lump in her throat made it impossible to utter the three little words.

"It's okay. I know" Clarke smiled softly at her.

She bent down and kissed Lexa. She could taste a bit of blood on the girl's lips but she didn't care. She pulled away from the kiss and pressed her lips against Lexa's forehead before looking back at Raven and Octavia who quickly looked up, acting as though they hadn't been listening and watching the whole interaction. Clarke rolled her eyes and beckoned them over so they could help lift Lexa up.

Clarke got on one side of Lexa and Raven on the other, each placing one of the girl's arms over their shoulders. Octavia, as per Clarke's request, took Lexa's soccer bag as well as the blonde's car keys and unlocked the doors of the car. Clarke sat Lexa in the passenger seat and thanked the two other girls for their help. Before she could climb in the car herself, Octavia pulled the blonde aside.

"Listen...I want to apologize for my dumbass brother"

"It's not your fault" Clarke refuted.

"I know but still" Octavia insisted "also, there are cameras that give on the area where we found Lexa so it shouldn't be hard to identify him on the video"

"Why are you doing this?" Clarke asked, confused "I mean...he's your brother..." she clarified.

"Because I want to do the right thing for once" Octavia explained.

Clarke nodded and got around the car to climb into the driver's seat. She noticed Lexa holding her stomach in pain and grabbed one of her hands, brushing gently the back of it with her thumb.

She drove very quickly. She might have gone over the speed limit but she couldn't find it in her to care. Her girlfriend was next to her, grunting in pain and her main goal was to get home as soon as possible so she could get some ice on Lexa's bruises

. When they stepped out of the car, Clarke went to carry Lexa but was stopped by a hand on her chest.

"Clarke...you can't carry me" Lexa told her.

"Of course, I can. You're not that heavy" Clarke stubbornly said. She bent her legs slightly and picked Lexa up, bridal style.

Lexa let out a surprised squeal and her arms jumped to Clarke's neck.

"Clarke" Lexa said after the blonde had taken a few steps.

"What?" Clarke asked.

"You're really red" the brunette pointed out.

"No, I'm not" Clarke huffed out, slightly out of breath.

"Put me back on the ground, Clarke" Lexa chuckled.

"Why do you have to have such heavy muscles?" Clarke whined though she wasn't really complaining about it. She loved how toned Lexa was.

Lexa simply raised an eyebrow at her and smiled smugly. Her smile dropped and she winced when Clarke put her down on the ground. Clarke carefully looped an arm around Lexa's waist and pulled one of the girl's arms over her shoulder. She walked the last few meters and awkwardly opened the door to her house.

Aden ran to them but was stopped by Clarke's hand before he could barrel into Lexa.

"Hey, buddy" Clarke crouched down "Lexa's stomach hurts a bit so no hugs for now" she downplayed Lexa's pain a bit for the boy.

"No hugs?" He frowned, upset by the news but then the rest of Clarke's sentence seemed to register and he firmly nodded, offering his hand to shake instead.

Lexa chuckled, finding it really endearing, taking his small hand into her larger one. The boy then turned to Clarke and asked if he could hug her or if she also had _'an owie'._

Clarke wrapped her arms around the boy and Lexa pouted behind them, saddened that she couldn't do the same because of her bruises. Clarke kissed her pout away.

After leaving Aden with her father, she led Lexa to the upstairs bathroom to apply some ice and cream on her stomach and make sure that her nose wasn't broken.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

"So good news is...your nose is not broken" Clarke announced.

"And the bad news?" Lexa asked.

"Bad news is Bellamy will be dead by tomorrow and I really don't feel like hiding a body" Clarke deadpanned.

Lexa smiled at her and tugged on her sleeves to bring her closer and kiss her.

"There's nothing we can do about it, Clarke" Lexa sighed.

"Actually, there is" Clarke corrected.

Lexa looked up and raised an eyebrow in question.

"I'm listening"

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

The next day, they went to see Principal Kane and recounted the events of the prior day. Kane promised to take a look at the footage on the camera and next thing they knew, Bellamy had been expelled from the school and had lost his football scholarship.

Clarke was beaming. **_One less thing to worry about,_** she thought.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

Clarke was drawing on the bleachers, waiting for practice to be over as someone walked up to her. She looked up from her sketchpad and saw a girl with chestnut hair and brown eyes. The girl looked familiar but se couldn't figure out where she had seen her before. She raised an eyebrow, silently asking her why she was standing there.

"Hi!" The girl said in an overly sweet voice "I'm new here. I was wondering if someone could show me around and since you're like, the prettiest girl I've seen so far, I thought why not ask you" she let out in one breath, sliding her fingers along Clarke's forearm.

Clarke drew her arm back and furrowed her brows. **_Is she flirting with me?_**

"Look, I don't mean to be rude but I'm kinda waiting for my girlfriend here" she glanced over her shoulder and saw Lexa running up to her "and she's here so..." she trailed off.

"Clarke!" Lexa greeted her.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

The practice was slowly coming to an end when Lexa sneaked a glance at Clarke. She caught a glimpse of blond hair before it was hidden by another girl. She saw the girl lean closer to Clarke and brush her fingertips on her forearm and ran the few meters separating her from her girlfriend.

"Clarke!" she called, smiling.

Clarke smiled back at her and Lexa climbed the stairs to join her. She stopped dead in her tracks and her face became alarmingly pale when the girl who had visibly been flirting with Clarke mere seconds ago turned around. Lexa's smile was gone.

"C-Costia?!" she stammered out.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lexa stressing over oral presentations is actually me everytime I have to do one


	18. Chapter 18

 

 

"C-Costia?"

"Hey, Lex. Long time no see" Costia casually said, throwing in a wink.

Clarke watched as Lexa inhaled deeply then released the air slowly, repeating the action a few times. She had told Clarke this was something she usually did to prevent an impending panic attack.

Clarke stepped closer to Lexa and grabbed her hand, completely ignoring Costia who was peering at them, a smirk plastered on her face.

"What? Are you not happy to see me?" Costia arrogantly asked.

Lexa dropped her gaze to the ground and took a deep breath before raising her eyes again.

"No. No. I won't let you- I can't..n-no" she stuttered, shaking her head frantically.

Clarke squeezed her hand then looked back up into Lexa's eyes and caught a glimpse of the panic in her eyes before Lexa turned around, her hand slipping away from Clarke's.

"Lex! Wait!" She yelled after the girl who was running down the bleachers at fast speed.

She looked behind her at the other brunette, still standing there, a smug look on her face. She wanted to make her pay for everything she had done to Lexa but right now, she had to catch up with her girlfriend. She pointed a finger at Costia.

"Stay away from her" she warned in a menacingly low voice.

"Or what?" Costia yelled back but her question was met with silence as Clarke was already running off.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

She arrived in the parking lot and saw Lexa leaning against her car. Clarke frowned. The girl seemed perfectly fine and if Clarke hadn't witnessed the recent events, she would have never guessed that anything out of the norm had happened.

"Hey, are you okay?" She asked, circling the brunette's arm with her hand and brushing her thumb on her forearm.

"I'm fine" Lexa said in a stiff voice, pulling her arm away from Clarke's touch. Her whole demeanor had changed. All emotions had deserted her face. The bright smile she had been sporting more often than not during the last couple of months was now gone, replaced by a stoic expression.

"Baby, you can talk to me" Clarke tried again.

"I said I'm fine" Lexa snapped, climbing into the passenger's seat.

Clarke swallowed back the hurt she felt at the brunette's harsh tone and got into the driver's seat. The drive was silent and you could cut through the tension with a knife. The only words exchanged being Lexa's request for Clarke to drive her home instead of Clarke's house. Clarke's shoulders slumped in disappointment but she nodded anyway.

When they arrived to their destination, Lexa shot her a small _'bye'_ before getting out of the car.

"I'll talk to you later?" Clarke asked, her voice laced with hope.

Her question was left unanswered as Lexa entered the house without so much as looking back. Clarke dropped her head in her hands and let out a shaky breath. She put both hands on the steering wheel, ready to drive away, then looked one last time at the door Lexa had walked through mere seconds ago. She shook her head and muttered _'what the hell'_ before opening the car door and speeding to Lexa's porch. She knocked loudly on the wooden door and waited for it to be answered, fidgeting. When Lexa opened the door, she didn't give her time to react as she pushed it a bit more open and walked past Lexa, grabbing her hand in the action and tugging on it to guide the girl upstairs with her.

"Clarke, what are you doing?"

Clarke stayed silent until they crossed the treshold of Lexa's bedroom. She kicked the door closed behind them and turned to face the brunette who was looking anywere but at her.

"Talk to me" the blonde demanded.

"There's nothing to talk about" Lexa stubbornly replied.

"Yes, there is!" Clarke insisted.

"I'M FINE!" Lexa yelled. Her face turned to one of surprise as though even she wasn't expecting this outburst.

"No, you're not !!!" Clarke ran a hand through her hair.

"Leave me alone, Clarke!" She continued, pacing around her room.

"No" Clarke didn't relent.

"Why can't you just let it go?!" Lexa asked, her voice rising and her lips pressed into a line. A contrast to the undeniable emotion displayed in her eyes.

"Because I love you! Just....just talk to me....please" Her voice cracked on the last word and tears escaped.

Lexa who had turned her back to Clarke was about to ask her to leave again but couldn't bring herself to do so when she heard the crack in her voice. She turned around quickly and saw Clarke, standing in the middle of the room, shoulders slumped in defeat and tears running down her face. She instantly regretted everything she had just said. She strode towards her and wrapped her arms tightly around her girlfriend, apologizing over and over again. **_She had done this. She had acted stupidly and had hurt_ _the person she loved more than anything. Stupid. Stupid,_** she berated herself.

"I'm so sorry, Clarke" she said through sobs.

Clarke nodded into her shoulder and brought her arms up to circle Lexa's waist.

"I'm so sorry....I didn't mean it, I swear" the brunette apologized again through a shaky voice.

"It's okay" Clarke shrugged.

Lexa pulled back from the embrace and wiped hastily at her own tears. It was useless as new ones were already forming, their flow seemingly endless.

"No...no it's not, Clarke" she disagreed "it's not okay and I'm sorry...I-I don't deserve you"

"Lexa, stop" Clarke sternly interrupted her, trying to get rid of the lump in her throat which was making it hard to speak "I just...just talk to me...please?" She requested.

Lexa nodded and they sat on the bed. Lexa took Clarke's hand in hers and played with her fingers

"I'm sorry" she said again.

"Stop apologizing" Clarke told her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Lexa hid her face in her neck.

"I just...I don't...She's..." she sobbed into Clarke's neck "I hate her" she finally settled on.

"I know, baby" Clarke ran a hand through messy brown curls.

Lexa looked up at her tearful eyes and something seemed to snap inside her because she pulled away, frowning.

"You shouldn't be comforting me" she said.

Clarke furrowed her brows at the sudden change of behaviour and was about to argue but Lexa cut her off.

"I've been awful to you just now. You shouldn't be comforting me. I don't deserve it" she continued, looking away.

Her guilt filled eyes found Clarke's as she stood up and she quickly looked away again. Those blue eyes had way too much effect on her right now.

"I'm going to go" she announced, picking up her bag.

"Lexa"

"I'm sorry...so so sorry" she rushed out.

"Lexa"

"You're so good to me and I keep fucking up"

"Lexa"

"Maybe I don't deserve this happiness after a-"

"Lexa!" Clarke effectively stopped her rambling and stood up to take both her hands in hers.

"First of all, this is your house so I don't know where you were planning to run off to but it doesn't seem like a good plan" she pointed out chuckling lightly at the blush forming on Lexa's cheeks, "secondly," she said, her tone softening, "I'm not mad. I understand that you might have felt overwhelmed and yes, you didn't deal with it the best you could but that doesn't make you a bad person"

"But I hurt y-" Lexa tried to argue.

"Let me finish, please. Yes, you hurt me but I'll get over it. Just...don't shut me out again?" She requested.

"Never again" Lexa promised, leaning her forehead against Clarke's.

Their lips brushed very lightly but neither of them took the initiative to close the small remaining distance, both staying still for a few seconds. It was Clarke who finally leaned forward, taking Lexa's lips in her own because Lexa was too afraid to make the first move. She didn't think she deserved that kind of affection right now.

Her lips started moving against Clarke's hesitantly. As if sensing her hesitation, Clarke deepened the kiss and brought one hand to tangle in Lexa's hair. One of them let out a moan but they were both too far gone to register who it was.

Lexa walked them towards the bed, Clarke's knees hitting the end of it before she let her back hit the mattress, breaking the kiss for a few seconds. She crawled up the bed to rest her head on the pillows and Lexa climbed over her, supporting her weight with her forearms which were on each sides of Clarke's face. They looked at each other for a few seconds, their chests heaving as they panted before Clarke craned her neck and captured Lexa's lips in a hot kiss.

Lexa's tongue made it past Clarke's lips and she moaned at the feel of Clarke's tongue gliding against hers. Lexa bent her head to kiss up and down Clarke's neck as Clarke ran her hands along Lexa's upperarms and brought one to her hair while the other travelled the length of her back. Lexa nibbled her collarbone, leaving faint pink spots there and pressed her body closer to the blonde. They both let out a loud moan as their covered chests came in contact.

Clarke sat up, bringing Lexa up with her and toyed with the hem of Lexa's shirt. Lexa got the message and lifted her shirt over her head, leaving her in only her bra. She tugged on Clarke's shirt in a silent question and the blonde eagerly nodded. Once the offending clothes were gone and scattered on the floor, Lexa pushed Clarke back down on the bed and groaned at the skin to skin contact.

Clarke shifted their position and straddled Lexa's hips. She reached behind her back and unclasped her bra, exposing herself to Lexa. Lexa's hands flew to Clarke's hips and she then remained frozen in place, gaping at Clarke's bare chest. Her mouth was open in awe and her pupils were blown, the black of it almost covering all the green of her eyes.

"So beautiful" she breathed out.

"Are you just going to stare or are you going to do something?" Clarke pulled her out of her reverie after a couple minutes of Lexa gawking at her chest.

Lexa ran her hands up Clarke's sides until they were grazing the undersides of her boobs. She hesitantly cupped them and gave them a tentative squeeze, breathing deeply at the feel of them in her hands. She sat up and encircled a nipple with her lips, her tongue sliding against it. Clarke moaned and tangled one of her hands in Lexa's hair, attempting to one-handedly unclasp Lexa's bra with the other. She succeeded in that task after struggling for a few seconds and threw the bra away without looking where it landed.

Lexa had switched her focus on her other breast and was sucking eagerly on a hardening nipple while her hands were busy exploring other parts of Clarke's body. Her right hand was fondling the breast that wasn't currently covered by her lips and her left hand was placed on the small of her back, keeping the blonde close to her.

Clarke pushed on her shoulders to lay her down again and bent down to nip at her ear, their bare chests brushing together. Their thoughts were fogged as they moved together on the bed.

Lexa rolled them over and sucked on the blonde's neck. The former temporarily pushed aside the insecurities that had been ever-present in regards to being intimate with someone and her hand travelled lower, getting dangerously close to the waistband of Clarke's pants. That's when the blonde seemed to regain some sense of clarity.

"Wait" she breathed out, pushing lightly on Lexa's chest.

Lexa pulled away from her neck and looked at her through hazy eyes. the brunette's lips were swollen from kissing, small puffs of air leaving them and her cheeks were flushed. She looked down at Clarke questioningly.

"I...I want to. I really do" Clarke assured Lexa "but I think we should wait a bit. I want our first time to be special. I don't want to take advantage of your emotional state...I want to make sure you're ready"

Lexa seemed to ponder her words, then nodded. She sat up, putting some distance between her and Clarke. She saw Clarke leaning down to grab her shirt and wrapped her fingers around her arm to stop her movements.

"Can I..." she started "...no, never mind"

"No, tell me" Clarke prompted.

"Can I lay my head uhh...on your..." she cleared her throat and pointed at Clarke's chest, her face turning a bright shade of red.

Clarke chuckled at Lexa's inability to utter the word _'boobs'_ when she had her lips attached to them not even five minutes ago. She layed down on the bed and told Lexa to come closer. Lexa grinned and sighed happily when she rested her head on Clarke's bare front which was comfier than any pillow. Clarke pulled the blanket to cover both their bodies and kissed the crown of Lexa's head.

Lexa was fighting to stay awake but she was slowly losing that battle. It was a common occurence for Lexa to take a nap in the afternoon after practice and Clarke knew not to question that. She was aware practice could be exhausting because Octavia used to complain about it all the time.

She smiled down at her girlfriend who pressed one last kiss on the space above her breast and she simply ran a hand through Lexa's hair as the brunette's eyelids drooped.

"I love your boobs" Lexa slurred.

Clarke laughed quietly and traced the brunette's jaw with her fingertips.

"And you. I love you..so...much" Lexa mumbled before letting sleep take her.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

Clarke was woken up by the buzzing of her phone on the beside table. **_When did I fall asleep?_ ** She wondered.

She extracted her arm from under Lexa's body and grabbed her phone, reading the caller ID and pressing the device to her ear after accepting the call.

"Hey, mom" she whispered.

_"Hi, Clarke! Why are you whispering?"_

"Lexa's sleeping. I don't want to wake her" she informed her mother.

Clarke couldn't see it but at the other end of the line, Abby was grinning like a fool.

 _"Right"_ her mother said _"I was calling because Aden is up and he's asking for you two"_

Her mother sounded strangely excited but Clarke brushed it off and blamed it on the fact that she was still half asleep and probably just imagining things.

"Okay. We'll be there soon" she told her mother.

_"See you, sweetie. Love you!"_

"I love you too" she said before hanging up.

She placed the phone back on the table and let her hand trace the expanse of Lexa's bare back.

Lexa's body was almost entirely covering hers. Her head was resting on the blonde's chest, in the same position they had fallen asleep in but now, Lexa's right leg was slung across Clarke's own legs and her right arm was bent, her hand resting on Clarke's left shoulder. Her naked front was pressed against Clarke's stomach. Clarke relished in the warmth of her skin for a few more minutes before deciding it was time to get up.

"Lex?" She shook the girl a little.

Lexa hummed and readjusted her head on Clarke's chest. She was not ready to leave the warmth Clarke's body provided.

"Baby, we have to get up" Clarke tried to push her away but Lexa was clinging to her tightly.

"No" Lexa mumbled, her voice sounding like one of a child. She snuggled even more into Clarke.

Clarke smiled fondly at her. If she was being honest, she too wanted to stay like this for a little while longer but Aden was waiting for them back home.

"Aden wants to see us"

That seemed to get Lexa's attention as she lifted her head and looked at Clarke through sleepy eyes.

"Aden?" She said, her voice slurred due to her not being completely awake yet.

Clarke nodded and Lexa used the little strength she had to pull away from Clarke's body. She rolled around and despite all her willpower to get up, her eyes were once again closed. Clarke hated herself for it but she had to wake her up. She pinched the girl's sides and the latter sat up in surprise, her hands instinctively coming to cover the area Clarke had pinched. She pouted and reluctantly got out of bed, her upper lip still trapped behind her bottom one. Clarke kissed her and a bright smile replaced the pout.

Lexa knew they still had to talk about Costia and what her return will ensue but she didn't want to deal with this right now. She was happy and she didn't want to let dark thoughts of her past ruin that. That's all Costia was, a demon from her past and Lexa wouldn't let her ruin what she has with Clarke.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

When they arrived home, they didn't hear the usual squeal of happiness Aden always let out. They slowly advanced into the house and saw a couple of boxes laying on the floor. On them was written _'ADEN'S STUFF'_ in big red letters.

"No..." Lexa breathed out in disbelief. This couldn't be it. Aden couldn't leave. **_Not now. No._**

To her left, Clarke was in the same state. Sadness written all over her features.

Jake and Abby walked into the room, beaming. The smiles left their features when they saw the downcasted expression on their favorite girls' faces. They understood what conclusion the girls had drawn and Jake quickly shook his head.

"Oh! No, Aden is not leaving!" He informed them.

Their expressions turned into ones of relief but the frown was still in place.

"Then....what are these boxes?" Lexa asked, confused.

"We went to Aden's old house to get some of his stuff. We couldn't get everything but since he'll be living here permanently, we thought it wou-"

"Wait" Clarke interrupted "permanently?"

Hers and Lexas eyes widened at the new information and they dared to hope.

"Yes" Abby answered, "in the past few weeks we have talked with quite a lot of people and the procedure has finally been completed"

"Wait...so you mean that.." Lexa trailed off, afraid she had misunderstood.

"We have adopted Aden, yes" Jake confirmed, his smile growing.

"OH MY GOD!!" the two girls yelled in unison, throwing their arms around both adults.

Jake and Abby laughed as they hugged them back.

"So, where's Aden?" Lexa eagerly asked. She couldn't wait to see the boy.

"He's with Indra. We wanted you to know about it first so you could be the ones to tell him" Jake told her.

Lexa thanked them about a dozen times and Jake pulled out his phone to inform Indra she could bring Aden back.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

Lexa and Clarke led the boy upstairs and they all sat on the bed, Aden cuddling into Lexa, wiggling his fingers against her hips, making her squirm on the bed.

"Aden, we have something to tell you" Clarke interrupted their little playful banter, barely able to conceal the huge grin threatening to split her face.

Aden caught onto the importance of her announcement and stopped trying to tickle Lexa. He sat upwards and nodded once, indicating he was listening. Clarke laughed at his faux seriousness and brushed a thumb against his cheek.

"Mom and Dad have spoken to some people and you can stay with us" she finally revealed, beaming at him.

The boy's eyes lit up and he turned towards Lexa, silently asking her if it was true. Lexa nodded at him, smiling from ear to ear.

"Forever?" He asked, his excitement growing by the second.

"Forever" Lexa confirmed.

She and Clarke giggled happily when he jumped into their arms, hugging them tightly. Well, as tightly as an almost three year old can do.

 

 


	19. Chapter 19

 

 

They had spent the rest of the weekend pretty peacefully, either playing with Aden or cuddling on Clarke's bed but they both knew they had to talk about Costia. Sooner rather than later considering there was school tomorrow which meant they would have to see her again.

It was Sunday evening and they were both laying on their sides, Clarke's eyes boring into Lexa's. Their right hands were intertwined between their bodies.

"We have to talk about it" Clarke broke the silence.

Lexa sighed and nodded in agreement but kept silent, looking down at their linked hands. She didn't look like she was going to speak anytime soon so Clarke decided to start.

"Well...do you still have feelings for her?" She tentatively asked, afraid of the answer she might get.

"No! No, of course not. That's not it!" Lexa's eyes widened and she quickly shook her head, unequivocally denying it.

"Then what is it?" Clarke continued.

"I....it's just...I felt overhelmed but not because I still have feelings for her. I guess I just associate her face with everything that's happened last year and seeing her brought back all those memories that I'm trying so hard to get rid of" she tried to explain.

"I get it, you know" Clarke voiced her thoughts "she was your first love. It's normal that you feel a bit shaken up. I don't blame you and I want you to know that I'm here if you need anything"

"She wasn't" Lexa said.

"What?"

"You said she was my first love. She wasn't" at seeing the confusion on Clarke's face, Lexa explained further, "I wasn't in love with her. I was in love with the perfect image that I had created of her but it isn't who she really is. _You_ , Clarke Griffin, are my first and only love and I still cannot believe how lucky I am to be yours"

Clarke's eyes softened considerably and she pulled Lexa in for a soft kiss. Lexa had a way with words and Clarke was so in love.

"I love you" Clarke whispered when they pulled apart.

"I love you too" Lexa said, grinning.

"And by the way, you can't get rid of them" Clarke added.

"Huh?' Lexa tilted her head to the side like a confused puppy.

"Your memories. You can't get rid of them. No matter how bad they are, they're part of what made you who you are today. What you can do, though, is create new, more beautiful memories" Clarke clarified.

"Yeah?" Lexa asked.

Clarke nodded and yelped when Lexa pulled her into her body.

"Well, how about we start making good memories now?" She murmured, her breath brushing Clarke's lips. She then leaned forward and captured her pink lips with her own.

"Smooth, Woods" Clarke said between kisses.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

They thought they would have a few hours before having to face Costia again because the school was pretty big. No such luck. When they got out of Clarke's car, the girl was leaning against the front wall of the school, talking to Finn. **_Assholes sticking_ _together,_** Clarke thought.

At least Finn had calmed down a bit when he had heard of Bellamy being expelled. He probably didn't want the same thing to happen to him. He cared about his reputation of perfect son way too much for that. Finn grew up in a rich family and was basically his parents's biggest pride. We wouldn't want to disappoint the people who keep you wealthy, would we?

 They powerwalked to the door, hoping to go by unnoticed but unfortunately, they caught Costia's stare. The girl smirked and left Finn to join them in the parking lot.

"Fuck" Clarke muttered.

"Lex!"

Lexa sighed and knowing she wouldn't be able to escape her, she turned her head slightly, facing the girl who had once been the reason she came home crying every day for a whole two months, due to the heartbreak but mostly due to the bullying that ensued.

"What do you want, Costia?" She growled.

"Easy, tiger" Costia obnoxiously chuckled, stepping closer.

She was getting way too close and Clarke could see Lexa was getting uncomfortable. She stepped between the two brunettes and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Aww, you got yourself a personal bodyguard. That's cute. You could have used one last year when you were getting beaten up daily" she cruelly mocked.

"You bitch!!" Clarke yelled before throwing herself at Costia.

She was stopped when strong arms wrapped around her middle and pulled her slightly backwards. Clarke struggled in Lexa's hold and Costia took it as an opportunity to keep talking.

"Remember that day when Cage Wallace attacked you? Damn, that was pretty bad. It must have hurt like a bitch when he kicked you in the face. What was it again? Three stitches and a broken nose? I can't seem to remember" Costia faked ignorance.

Clarke was squirming in Lexa's arms, trying to break free while Lexa shut her eyes tightly. She didn't want to be reminisced of the physical and emotional wounds students had caused her. Flashbacks were coming back to her and her breathing became erratic. She tried her best to keep a firm grip on Clarke's waist but she wouldn't be able to do so for much longer.

Clarke felt the arms around her loosening their grasp around the same time she noticed that Lexa's breathing had quickened. She furrowed her brows and turned around. As much as she wanted to punch Costia right here and there, her worry for her girlfriend surpassed the anger she felt towards Costia. She took Lexa's arm and placed it over her own shoulder, carrying her to the side of the building where no one would see them. Thankfully, Costia didn't follow them. If anything, the girl seemed surprised she got such a strong reaction from Lexa.

As she sat Lexa on the ground, Clarke saw Costia in the distance, shaking her head and grinning to herself. It took all of Clarke's self control not to get up and wipe that grin off her face. Instead, she cupped Lexa's cheek and caressed them with her thumbs. She hoped the contact would help Lexa feel more grounded.

"Baby, listen to my voice. You're okay, you're safe"

Lexa's eyes were still firmly shut and her breathing wasn't letting up. Clarke leaned her forehead against Lexa's and slowed her breathing down, asking Lexa to try and do the same. It was working a little but Lexa's intakes of breath were still too small for her to breathe comfortably.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Lexa was frustrated with herself. She wished she had more control than that. All it took was Costia mentioning Cage's name for her to start panicking. She thought she was past that but clearly, she still needed more time to truly get over it.

She hated the feeling of not being able to breathe anymore, of her throat constricting. What she hated above all else was the fact that in those situations, she was left with no control. She was completely vulnerable and that scared her.

Her breathing was ragged and the only thing helping at the moment was Clarke's forehead pressed against hers, Clarke's hands on both sides of her face and her sweet voice guiding Lexa through it.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Clarke ignored the small crowd of students that had gathered around and were staring at them curiously. She wanted to yell at them to leave but speaking in a voice louder than the soft one she was using right now would probably startle Lexa and that really wouldn't help. Instead, she briefly pulled away from Lexa's forehead, causing Lexa to utter a sound similar to a whimper, and glared at them from the corner of her eye. Some of them got the message but around ten students stayed, including Costia who looked at least a bit guilty for being the cause of this. **_Oh, so she has a heart after all,_** Clarke thought. However, the guilt left the girl's eyes not even a second later and she returned to her usual cold and bitchy self, huffing and walking away.

Clarke ignored it and placed her forehead back to it's previous position. She started counting backwards from ten to zero, asking Lexa to count down as well whenever she was ready. It took a little while but Lexa eventually joined Clarke, counting down with her through uneven breaths. The longer they counted, the less frantic her breathing got, until it finally evened out. Her eyes, filled with tears, opened and she looked right into Clarke's eyes, a range of emotion displayed in those green orbs ; vulnerability, fear, relief, embarrassement, gratefulness, _love_.

Once she had regained full control of her breathing, she grabbed Clarke's face and kissed her hard. Gasps were heard as well as a low whistles and they remembered they had an audience but neither cared.

"Sorry...I needed that" Lexa whispered when she pulled away.

Clarke nodded against her forehead and kissed her again.

 _"That's hot"_ they heard a guy whisper from his position ten feet away.

Clarke rolled her eyes and got up, extending a hand for Lexa to take. They walked past people and Clarke started leading them towards the exit but stopped in her tracks when Lexa tugged on her hand.

"Where are you going?" She asked, confused.

"Oh...I didn't think you would want to stay here after what happened..sorry"

"That's very sweet but I'm fine, I swear. Besides, I can't miss class again" Lexa apologetically said.

Clarke nodded and led them back inside the building. Lexa ignored the few curious looks she got from people who had witnessed her panic attack and they quickly made their way to their first class. _Math._ With Pike. **_Great...as if this day isn't bad enough as it_ _is,_** Lexa sighed.

They slipped inside the room right before the bell rang and were walking hand in hand towards their respective desks when Pike's voice rang through the classroom.

"Miss Woods. Miss Griffin. You're late" he firmly said.

"With all due respect, sir" **_as if I have any respect for him_ ** "we were already inside when the bell rang"

"But you weren't in your seats, therefore, you both are late" he countered.

"Those are not the school's rules and you know it" Clarke shot back.

Lexa closed her eyes, knowing this couldn't end well for them. Though, she couldn't help but feel proud that her girlfriend was brave enough to stand up to a teacher.

"Both of you, in the principal's office! Such insolence will not be tolerated!" He yelled.

Clarke saw Costia smirking in the back of the class and it only fuelled to her anger.

"Lexa hasn't said anything, sir. I fail to see why she should be punished as well. To be honest I even fail to understand why _I_ am being punished" Clarke continued arguing his decision.

"You don't mind being associated together when it comes to those _unnatural activities_ of yours" he said, nodding at their linked hands "surely it won't be a problem for you to be a package deal for everything else as well" he spat, disgust in his voice.

"Oh no, you didn't" Clarke snarled, getting ready to jump at his throat.

Fortunately -or unfortunately, depends on who you're asking- Lexa pulled her out of the classroom before she could do something stupid.

"What- Lexa!" Clarke whined when the brunette closed the door behind them.

"You're welcome" Lexa simply said before walking in direction of the principal's office. She knew the way quite well by now and she was firmly certain that this was not a good thing.

"I wasn't going to attack him" Clarke mumbled. Lexa simply raised an eyebrow at her and Clarke rolled her eyes.

"I wasn't going to! I was just...about to give him a piece of my mind"

"With your fists?" Lexa asked, highly amused.

"No" Clarke mumbled.

"Sure, Clarke" Lexa smirked and placed a kiss on her cheek.

Lexa gasped when Clarke grabbed her arm and pulled her into an empty classroom, closing the door behind them

"Clarke, what are y-"

Whatever she said got muffled when Clarke pushed her against the closed door and slammed her lips against hers. Lexa hummed into the kiss and brought her hands to Clarke's hair, running her fingers through blonde strands. Her tongue dipped between Clarke's inviting lips and they both let out a moan as their tongues made contact. Clarke's hands roamed her back, over her shirt, and she moved her kisses to Lexa's neck.

"Clarke..." Lexa panted "maybe we should-" she yelped when Clarke bit on her skin and soothed the pain with her tongue.

"maybe...we should stop..." she finally manages to say even though stopping was the last thing she wanted to do right now.

"I...really...don't...want to" Clarke said, kissing down Lexa's neck to nip at her collarbone.

The sounds of their heavy breathings and of the occasional moan filled the room and they were thankful everyone seemed to be in class. Keyword : _seemed_. As Lexa's hands slipped under Clarke's shirt, they heard footsteps coming their way.

"Fuck" Lexa breathed out, trying to quickly smooth out her now messy hair. Next to her Clarke was doing the same.

She turned to Lexa and told her to follow her lead. She then opened the door, catching the attention of the teacher who was visibly about to open it.

"Oh great! Thank God you're here" Clarke faked relief "we can't seem to find the principal's office. We have tried almost every doors but no luck"

He eyed them suspiciously but let it go and gave them directions to the office before entering the classroom they had been occupying a few seconds ago.

"How did you..." Lexa trailed off.

"Quick thinking, that's all it is. I'm just that smart" Clarke bragged.

Lexa chuckled and kissed her again, though chastely because they were standing in the middle of a hallway in which someone could walk at any moment.

They finally made it to the principal's office, no less than fifteen minutes after they got out of Pike's classroom. Not that the math teacher would even care how long they've been gone. Clarke can picture the smirk he will undoubtedly wear when he'll associate their long absence to them being lectured by Kane. _**As if.**_ His reasoning for sending them there didn't even make sense. At worst, they'll get a couple hours of detention and even that was very unlikely.

As predicted, they didn't get any sanction. Better yet, Kane assured them he would have a long talk with Pike about his obvious disrespect of the school's rules and of the student's freedom to openly express their sexuality .

Both girls were grinning in triumph as they plopped back down on their seats. Costia squinted her eyes at them and Pike threw them a suspicious glare and went back to his lesson, purposely ignoring them each time they raised their hand.

After a while, they gave up trying. Clarke simply shrugged. She couldn't care less. **_At least now I can sleep,_** she thought, crossing her arms on the desk and dropping her head on them.

A hand tangled in blond hair to trace small circles on her scalp and Clarke hummed in appreciation. The constant motion was slowly putting her to sleep and she was fighting to remain conscious.

"It's okay. You can sleep" Lexa whispered in her ear "we're at the back of the class, he won't see you"

She didn't get a reply as Clarke had fallen asleep right when she had finished her sentence. She smiled at the blonde and continued running her fingers through her hair with her left hand while jotting down notes with her right hand.

They didn't notice the pair of brown eyes watching them intently from the desk two seats away from them.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

The next day, Mr.Pike was no longer a teacher at Arkadia High. Rumour had it that Clarke and Lexa were the ones responsible for him getting fired. That gained them the respect of the few students who hated Pike as much as they did but were too afraid to speak up. Costia, on the other hand, seemed to have found a renewed interest in making their life a living hell. It went from throwing school supplies at their face in class -which is, let's face it, extremely childish- to verbally harrass them at the end of class. She kept reminding Lexa of her unpleasant time at Mount Weather High and Clarke's restraint was growing thin.

Today was Valentine's day. Clarke had always loved that day. Even if she didn't have a significant other before, she enjoyed drowning her friends in gifts. This year, however, her friends had had to settle for cheap gifts because all of her money -which was not a lot to begin with- had went in a present for Lexa.

Lexa, as for her, didn't understand the fuss about that day.

 

 

_\--- A few days ago ---_

 

 

_"I just don't understand why everyone is so obsessed with this one particular day" Lexa huffed out when they were sitting on Clarke's bed after school._

_"It's just nice to have a day to show people how much you love them" Clarke tried to explain._

_"That's stupid. When you love someone, you should show them everyday. Not just once a year" Lexa frowned, not understanding the logic behind it._

_"That was actually really beautiful" Clarke said, looking up lovingly at her girlfriend._

_"It's just the truth" Lexa shrugged, blushing slightly._

_"What are you waiting for, then?" Clarke rhetorically asked._

_"What?" Lexa scrunched up her brows in confusion._

_"Show me how much you love me, lady killer" Clarke winked._

_"Oh, I plan to" Lexa simply said before engaging in a hot makeout session._

 

 

_\--- Present time (Valentine's day) ---_

 

 

"I'll just go get something from my locker. Go ahead. I'll join you on the roof soon" Clarke told Lexa.

Lexa nodded and headed towards the staircase. As she waited on the roof, she took out the small box containing her gift for Clarke. Yes, she thought Valentine's day was stupid but there was _no way_ she wasn't going to spoil her girlfriend today. And every other day, for that matter.

She placed the small box in her pocket, carefully hiding it and took their lunch out of her bag. They had taken on the habit to share their food. Today, Indra had made Lexa a box full of sushis of all sorts, Clarke's favorite food. Lexa had specifically asked her mom to make Clarke's favorite sushis and to put more of them than she usually did, wanting to be sure they would have enough for the both of them. And if they didn't, Lexa would gladly offer her share to the blonde.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Clarke was about to join Lexa on the roof when a hand stopped her. She turned around and her expression turned to one of hatred and distrust as she took in Costia, standing there.

"Let go of my arm" Clarke demanded, clearly enunciating each word.

"I think you will like what I have to say, though" Costia confidently stated.

"I doubt it" Clarke shot back, trying to free her arm.

"It's about Lexa" Costia tried.

"When is it not with you?" Clarke rolled her eyes, freeing her arm from the girl's grip.

"You know, I get why you're so into her" Costia continued speaking, ignoring Clarke's claim that she didn't wish to engage in a conversation with her.

"Oh, you do? Really?" Clarke asked, her tone clearly indicating she didn't care one bit what Costia had to say.

"I mean, she's hot. A fine piece of ass if you ask me. Too bad she's such a fucking prude"

Clarke was now fuming. She didn't want to cause a scandal but that bitch was testing her limits.

"Don't you dare talk about her like that" she threatened.

Costia ignored her and kept speaking.

"What I would have done to run my tongue over those abs"

"Stop"

"I bet she would sound amazing when she comes undone but you wouldn't know, would you?" Costia raised an eyebrow.

"Shut up" Clarke's breathing quickened and she clenched her fists at her sides.

"I almost had her, you know. Almost had her squirming under me, moaning out my name and begging me for more until sh-"

"SHUT UP!" Clarke yelled as she punched her in the face, sending the girl to the ground.

The expression of shock on Costia's face was reflected on Clarke's face. Costia spit out some blood and wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her sweatshirt.

Clarke's hands were shaking and she clenched and unclenched her fists a few times to stop the trembling but it simply wouldn't stop. She grabbed Lexa's gift that she had left on the ground and hurriedly left, muttering various curse words as she walked away. She shook her head before climbing the stairs, willing herself not to act suspiciously. It would have worked if Lexa didn't know her so well.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

As soon as Lexa saw Clarke, standing a few feet away from her, a bag in her hand, she knew something was wrong. The blonde's genuine smile was gone, replaced by a fake one and her eyes lacked their usual light.

She jumped to her feet and walked to her girlfriend, taking her in her arms. Clarke's shoulders slumped and the brave face she had put on shattered in a thousand pieces. She let out a strangled cry and buried her face in Lexa's neck.

Lexa could feel Clarke's tears hitting the skin of her neck and she tightened her hold on the blonde. She didn't press her for information. She just held Clarke close until her sobs subsided.

"I'm sorry" Clarke quietly said.

"Don't be" Lexa replied.

"She was...she was saying those horrible things about you and I just...I just..." Clarke said after a couple minutes of silence.

"It's okay, you're okay" Lexa reassured her.

She had seen the blood on Clarke's knuckles when they had pulled away from the hug. She hadn't questioned it. She had, in fact, a pretty good idea of what had happened and Clarke using the pronoun _'she'_ confirmed her suspicions.

She wouldn't hold it against the blonde. _Ever._ She knew Costia must have gone too far for Clarke to use violence because Clarke was not a violent person. Besides, she had herself punched Finn once and scolding Clarke for doing so to Costia would be highly hypocritical. Costia must have hit a sore point and Clarke lost control, understandably so. And, even though that sounded a bit mean, Lexa got some satisfaction from knowing Costia finally got what was coming for her.

"How about we celebrate Valentine's day? I'm sure that's what you were planning anyways" Lexa said, trying to lighten the mood as she nodded to the bag laying a few feet away from them.

"You don't like Valentine's day" Clarke mumbled, wiping at the last of her tears.

"Yes, but you do. And that means we're celebrating it. Unless you don't want to?" Lexa teased, bumping her shoulder against Clarke's.

Clarke grinned and went to get her gift, handing it proudly to Lexa. The brunette gasped when she took it. It was heavier she thought it would be. The package very nearly fell to its certain death but Lexa quickly placed a hand under it to stabilize it. She placed it on the concrete and started unwrapping it.

"You didn't" Lexa said in astonishment.

"I did" Clarke confirmed, grinning.

"Clarke, how much did this cost you?!" Lexa asked, holding the very beautiful and seemingly very expensive old writing machine Clarke had gotten her.

"Not that much" Clarke lied "you mentioned how much you loved those and I stumbled upon an ad from someone that was selling one so here it is" she gestured to the machine.

"I love you so much" Lexa whispered, putting the machine beside her and grabbing Clarke's face in both hands to kiss her.

She reached inside her pocket and took out the rectangular box, holding it up for Clarke. The blonde grabbed it carefully and took off the lid of the box, revealing a silver necklace with a light blue pendant shaped like a drop of rain. Clarke gasped upon seeing it and looked back up to see Lexa smiling sweetly at her and worrying her lip as if she was scared Clarke wouldn't like it.

"Lexa, it's beautiful" she breathed out in awe.

"Can I?" Lexa gestured to the necklace.

When Clarke nodded, she took the necklace out of its box and went behind Clarke to clasp it around her neck. She struggled a bit to do it because her nails were extremely short and Clarke laughed lightly at the little sounds of frustration coming from behind her. Finally, after about twenty failed attempts, Lexa managed to attach the two ends together. She bent down to kiss the nape of Clarke's neck and Clarke turned around and connected their lips.

"Admit it, you love Valentine's day" Clarke said when she broke the kiss.

"I love _you._ There's a difference" Lexa argued.

"But you love Valentine's day too" Clarke insisted though she couldn't cover the slight blush that appeared at Lexa's previous answer.

"I don't completely hate it" Lexa offered.

"Good enough for me" Clarke decided. She leaned forward and kissed the brunette once more, "And for the record, I love you too"

 

 

 

 

[Clarke's necklace](http://i01.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/525769061/Wholesale-12pcs-lot-Swarovski-Crystal-Necklace-Woman-Jewelry-Charm-Necklace-Necklaces-Fashion-Free-Shipping-TH-N044.jpg)

 

 


	20. Chapter 20

 

 

"I punched Costia" Clarke confessed when they had finished eating.

"It's okay. You didn't have to tell me" Lexa replied.

She had already figured it out when she saw her bloodied knuckles but wouldn't tell Clarke that she knew. It was irrelevant right now.

"I wanted to, though....look, I don't want there to be any secrets between us" Clarke said as she stared into green eyes.

"Me neither" Lexa cupped her cheeks and pulled her in for a short kiss.

"Go on a date with me?" Clarke murmured.

"For Valentine's day?" Clarke hummed and leaned her forehead on Lexa's, closing her eyes.

"Do I have a choice?" Lexa teasingly asked.

"Not really" Clarke opened her eyes but did not pull away "I kind of already made a reservation" she admitted.

"What would happen if said no?" Lexa raised an eyebrow.

"I guess we'll never know" Clarke responded.

"Confident, much?" Lexa playfully asked, though the playful tone was lost on Clarke because the blonde immediately backtracked, pulling away.

"Oh...I mean if you don't want to we can just-"

"NO!" Lexa loudly cut her off. She cleared her throat before continuing "no, it's perfect. I'd love to go on a date with you"

"Great!" Clarke beamed.

"Great" Lexa repeated.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

"Wow...you look beautiful, Clarke" was the first thing Lexa said, staring at the blonde in awe, when her girlfriend opened the door.

"You too" Clarke smiled softly.

Clarke was wearing a black dress with quite a lot of cleavage which Lexa was definitely not complaining about. Her hair was down, falling freely over her shoulders. Lexa, on the other hand, was wearing a white dress complimented with black heels. Her hair draped over her right shoulder.

 

[Clarke's look](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/7c/30/56/7c3056839561d0f705f074d7f39196ec.jpg)   [Lexa's look](http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Alycia+Debnam+Carey+Australians+Film+Awards+u1sEHqk4JWdl.jpg) 

 

"Hey, Aden" Lexa greeted the toddler when she saw him sitting on the couch, the faint glow of the tv illuminating the front of his face.

He was so fascinated by the show playing that he hadn't noticed her presence, until she called out his name, that is.

"Lessa!" He jumped from the couch and clumsily ran towards her and into her stomach. She gasped when his weight collided with her and ran a hand through his hair while he hugged her as tight as he could, "where you going, Lessa?"

"Clarke and I are going outside to eat something" Lexa informed him.

"Can I come?" He asked, his eyes bright and hopeful. It hurt Lexa to have to say no. His bedtime was in an hour and they would probably be back home late.

"I'm sorry, buddy but we can't take you with us" she cautiously said. _'next time'_ she promised, trying to make the boy's frown disappear to no avail.

"But I want to go tonight" he whined.

Clarke reluctantly shook her head at him, cutting the conversation short. He pouted and walked towards Jake, whispering something in his ear. Jake laughed and nodded at him.

It was getting hard for both girls to resist the pout forming on his lips while they were putting him to bed. After doing so and each placing a kiss on Aden's forehead, they headed downstairs. Clarke unlocked the car door then realized something.

"Wait, I forgot my purse upstairs" she said and they both went back up to retrieve it.

They didn't hear a sound when they walked by Aden's room and figured he was already asleep.

They climbed back into the car and drove away. Clarke kept one hand on the steering wheel and took Lexa's left hand with the other, linking their fingers. They drove in a comfortable silence.

"Where we going?" Aden's voice rang behind them and they both jumped in surprise.

Clarke slammed her foot on the brake pedal and Lexa swiftly turned around. Aden was sitting in the backseat, swinging his feet in the air, waiting for them to reply. ** _When the fuck did he get in?_** Lexa wondered.

"Aden?!" Clarke said.

"Hi" he innocently waved at her.

"W-what are you doing here?" The blonde spluttered.

"I want to go with you" he shrugged and Lexa chuckled because that kid is way too cute.

Clarke frowned. She pulled over and stopped the car before pulling out her phone to dial her dad's number.

"Hi, Clarke. Everything going okay?" Her father said, barely stiffling his laughter. Clarke rolled her eyes at him.

"Hi, dad. Everything is going amazingly but do you mind explaining to me how a two-year-old managed to climb into a car all by himself when he can't even reach the door handle?"

The line suddenly went dead and Clarke sighed, smiling to herself. Of course her dad would do something like that.

"Looks like Aden is having dinner with us tonight" Clarke announced to Lexa who had climbed into the backseat and was currently pinching Aden's cheeks.

Aden clapped his hands excitedly at this and bounced in his seat. Lexa stayed in the backseat with Aden as Clarke started the car again.

Clarke had made a reservation in a small restaurant which was beautiful but thankfully not too fancy. The small lamps hanging above the tables offered a reddish light. The seats were small wooden benches with red cushions. The only word Lexa could think of to describe this place was cozy.

Aden was jumping up and down as they were guided towards their table in the back. The place wasn't very crowded yet for it was only 7 PM and Lexa was thankful for it. She wanted a quiet evening. Although, with Aden there, it might be a lot less quiet than she imagined. She didn't care because watching the boy's face light up as he settled beside her on the bench gave her a feeling of pure happiness.

Clarke sat across the table and took Lexa's hand in hers. They chuckled when Aden stood on the bench and placed his smaller hand on top of theirs. Lexa took the boy in her arms and gently put him in her lap, circling his waist with one arm so he would stop wiggling. With her free hand, she reached once again for Clarke's and intertwined their fingers.

"Hello, ladies. What can I get you?"

"Ice cream!" Aden yelled, startling the waiter.

Lexa chuckled and whispered _'later'_ in Aden's ear before turning her attention back on the waiter. They placed their own orders and ordered a simple spaghetti bolognese for Aden. The boy reiterated his wish for ice cream and Lexa once again promised him they'll get some later.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

This was definitely not what Clarke had imagined her Valentine's day dinner to be like but she wouldn't trade it for the world. Seeing Lexa interact with Aden was one of her favorite things in the world, her favorite thing being Lexa's laugh.

"You'll be an amazing mom someday" she blurted out, not realizing she had spoken the words out loud until Lexa stopped playing with Aden's hair and turned to her, an unreadable expression on her face.

"I mean..uh.." Clarke tried to backtrack but was cut off by Lexa's voice.

"You think so?" The brunette asked quietly, a small smile gracing her features.

"I'm sure of it" Clarke told her.

The small smile turned into a big grin at that and Lexa leaned forward to steal Clarke's lips in a loving kiss that lasted a few seconds until a tiny hand slipped between their mouths and they were forced to separate. Aden looked at Clarke and pointed at his own lips.

"I want a kiss too" he said.

Clarke laughed and quickly pecked his lips. Lexa raised an eyebrow at Aden who looked pretty proud of himself and the brunette leaned forward again to kiss Clarke. Aden squinted his eyes at Lexa and it soon turned into a kissing contest, Aden and Lexa pressing kisses after kisses all over Clarke's face while the blonde laughed. She had never felt so loved.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

Their dinner was coming to an end when a figure stopped beside their table. They first thought it was the waiter but when both girls stopped staring into each other's eyes and looked up, they saw Costia standing there, wearing a smirk. Lexa stiffened and Clarke had to restrain herself from punching Costia again. She noticed the forming bruise on the girl's upper lip and smiled to herself, taking pride in knowing that this bruise was the result of her fist colliding with the girl's face.

"You're babysitting now?" Costia scoffed "who the fuck is this kid?"

"None of your business" Lexa replied in a clipped tone. Aden had grown unusually quiet and was just suspiciously eyeing Costia.

"Why won't you tell me? It's not like-" Costia stopped speaking as an idea crossed her mind "oh shit, Griffin" she said smirking.

"What?" Clarke asked, annoyed.

"I mean..Finn told us you were a slut but I didn't think it was that bad. I mean what is he? Two? You got pregnant at fourteen? Damn, that's-"

"Shut your mouth, Costia. He's not Clarke's kid and even if he was, that's still none of your business" Lexa said, trying her best to stay somewhat polite because she did not want to curse in front of Aden.

Aden was now frowning, understanding that this girl's presence was not welcome at all. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked up at Costia.

"I don't like you. Leave" he simply said.

Costia scoffed and was about to say something when Aden started wailing out of nowhere, gathering the attention of other patrons and of the restaurant's staff.

"Is there a problem?" The waiter kindly asked over the sound of Aden's cries.

"Actually, yes" Clarke answered "this woman here is bothering us" she pointed at Costia.

"Me?! I didn't do anything!! He started yelling out of nowhere!!" She angrily motioned to the boy.

"Miss, I'm going to have to ask you to leave" the waiter adressed Costia.

"What?! But I-"

"This is not a negociation" he cut her off then nodded to two other guys who forcefully pulled Costia outside the building.

Aden suddenly stopped crying and snuggled back into Lexa's chest, humming contentedly. Lexa and Clarke looked at each other in both shock and amazement at the boy's acting skills.

"We apologize for the inconvenience. The rest of your meal will be on the house if you'd like a dessert" the waiter apologized.

At the mention of dessert, Aden's face lit up and Lexa knew what he would ask for before he even uttered the words.

"Ice cream!!" He yelled excitedly.

"Alright, buddy" Clarke laughed "which one do you want?"

"Vanilla!" he clapped his hands.

"Vanilla, it is" Clarke told the waiter "you want something, baby?" She asked Lexa.

"No, I'm good" Lexa shook her head.

"Then it'll be all. Thank you" she informed the waiter who nodded.

The waiter looked at both of them, then at Aden and smiled as he adressed both girls.

"Your son is adorable" he left before they could correct him on it, his words leaving a fluttering feeling in both their stomachs.

 

 

\--------------------------

 

 

Clarke had moved beside Lexa as Aden devoured his ice cream. She smiled at the brunette but it felt a bit forced. Lexa frowned.

"What is it?" She asked in a whisper.

"Nothing" Clarke quickly said.

"No secrets between us, remember?" Lexa reminded her.

Clarke sighed and nodded. She looked at Aden who was almost done eating. It was quite impressive how fast he ate it.

"I'll tell you when we're home" she promised.

Lexa nodded, accepting the answer though the frown didn't leave her features. She was concerned about Clarke. ** _Fucking Costia, always ruining everything,_ ** she mentally cursed the girl.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

They tucked Aden in, then got ready for bed. Lexa grabbed Clarke's hand and led them to the bed. Clarke sat on it and sighed.

"Can you..." she trailed off.

"Yes?"

"Can you just hold me for a bit?" she shyly asked.

"Of course. You don't need to ask" Lexa layed down and Clarke rested her head on her chest while the brunette ran her fingers through her hair.

"The whole school thinks I'm a slut" Clarke shakily said after a few minutes of complete silence.

"What?" Lexa said in surprise "no, Clarke, they don't"

"You heard her!" Clarke raised her voice "she...she said _'Finn told us you were a slut'._ Who is _'us'_ , Lexa?" She added in a quieter voice.

"I...I don't know but it doesn't matter. Who cares what anyone thinks? Besides sleeping with people doesn't make you a slut" She said.

"I haven't been with anyone" Clarke admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Wait...so all this time you've been worried about me not being ready to be intimate but...what about _you_? What if _you_ weren't ready?"

"I didn't think it mattered" Clarke shrugged.

"Of course it does, Clarke!" Lexa sat up and cupped her cheeks "Listen, I appreciate that you're always trying to make sure I'm happy or comfortable with things but... I want to make sure you're happy and comfortable with things too. You are _so_ selfless but you need to put yourself first sometimes. It doesn't make you selfish...it makes you human"

Clarke nodded, her cheeks brushing against Lexa's hands which were still on each side of her face.

"Just...let me be here for you.... _please_ " Lexa concluded.

Clarke nodded again and wrapped her arms around Lexa's shoulders. The brunette quickly brought her arms to circle Clarke's waist and held her tightly against herself. She traced small circles in the small of her back and felt the blonde progressively relax in her arms.

"I'm sorry the dates I plan always suck" Clarke whispered in her neck. Lexa pulled away to look inside Clarke's eyes.

"Stop right there. Stop apologizing. This is not your fault. It is not your fault that Finn and Costia are assholes who can't behave like decent human beings" she told her.

Clarke looked down at her hands. Lexa took Clarke's left hand in one of her own and brushed her thumb against her knuckles while her other hand gently grabbed Clarke's chin and lifted it, forcing the blonde to look at her.

"Stop blaming yourself whenever something goes wrong. You keep telling me how amazing I am to make me believe it and now it's my turn. You are the kindest, most selfless and most beautiful person I have ever met and I love you so much. I need you to see that" Lexa confessed, her eyes conveying nothing but honesty and love.

"I love you" Clarke simply said. They uttered those three words almost daily but somehow, this time, the words held even more meaning.

Lexa smiled softly at her then layed back down, opening her arms for Clarke to settle in. Clarke put her head on Lexa's chest and wrapped an arm around her waist, mimicking their earlier position.

"I don't want to ever live without you" Clarke broke the newfound silence.

"You won't have to. I'm not going anywhere" Lexa's hands slipped under Clarke's shirt and caressed the soft skin of her back.

Clarke pressed her lips against her neck then dropped her head back on her chest. In the safety of Lexa's arms, it only took her a couple minutes to fall asleep. The brunette wasn't far behind her.

 

 

\--------------------------

 

 

It had been three weeks and Costia hadn't tried to approach them in that time which was suspicious. In the meantime, they had started spending time with Octavia and Raven again. They would sometimes sit at their table at cafeteria. Maybe Octavia's and Raven's menacing glares were one of the reasons why Costia didn't approach them anymore. Raven and Octavia were now aware of what happened with Costia and they weren't exactly quiet about their hatred for the girl. They had felt a bit guilty because it reminded them of how they used to be but Clarke quickly reassured them that it was behind them now and that they definitely weren't as bas as Costia.

The annual soccer competition had also started. They had won their first three games which had been held at Arkadia High but they would have to travel to other schools for the remainder of the competition which would last two weeks. Clarke wasn't pleased to know her girlfriend would be away for so long. She was even less pleased when she learned that Costia was now part of the cheerleading squad, meaning she would accompany the team on their travel and perform during half-time. She feared leaving Lexa alone with her. It was not about a lack of trust in Lexa, far from it. She just hated not being able to be here for her girlfriend if anything happened. She hated feeling so helpless.

"I don't want you to go" Clarke mumbled as she clung tightly to Lexa after her soccer practice.

Lexa was standing in the middle of the field, carrying Clarke who had her arms wrapped around her neck and her legs wrapped around her waist.

"You know I have to" Lexa told her, walking towards the locker room, still carrying Clarke who refused to let go of her, not even for a second as if Lexa would disappear the moment she stopped touching her.

"Then I'll hide you" Clarke insisted though she knew it was pointless. Even if Lexa could stay with her, Clarke would never allow her to miss out on her dream to compete just so she could stay with her.

Lexa laughed and her lips found Clarke's in a chaste kiss. Apparently Clarke didn't want chaste because she changed the angle of the kiss, their lips disconnecting for the shortest moment, and deepened it. Clarke let out a moan as her tongue glided against Lexa's. She bit on Lexa's bottom lip and tugged on it drawing a moan from the brunette. She moved her lips to Lexa's neck and Lexa's breath hitched in her throat as Clarke trailed her lips along the length of it.

Not once did Lexa falter in her hold of Clarke and that spurred the blonde on. She reclaimed Lexa's lips and moved her hands to the brunette's hair. Lexa readjusted her hold of Clarke and placed both hands on her ass, holding her up. They kept at it for a few minutes then Clarke pulled away, her lips slightly parted and breathing heavily.

"We should probably stop" she breathlessly said.

Lexa nodded and dropped her on the ground then picked up her bag.

 

 

\--------------------------

 

 

"You'll call me everyday, right?" Clarke asked as they stood in front of the bus that would take the team to the first school they would play at : TonDc High.

"Of course I will. I wouldn't miss out on a chance to hear that beautiful voice of yours" Lexa winked.

"Charmer" Clarke lightly slapped her shoulder.

Lexa laughed then cradled Clarke's face and pressed their mouths together.

"I'll miss you" she whispered against Clarke's lips.

"I'll miss you too" Clarke whispered back before she reconnected their lips.

"Hey lovebirds!" Octavia yelled from her seat on the bus, "that's adorable and all but we have to go"

Clarke rolled her eyes and grabbed Lexa's shirt in her fists, her lips slamming against Lexa's again, purposely taking her sweet time. They heard Octavia laugh in amusement behind them.

"I should really go" Lexa said though that was the last thing she wanted to do right now.

"Yeah...yeah you should" Clarke nodded and kissed her one last time before shoving her towards the bus.

"I love you!" She shouted as Lexa was climbing the small stairs leading to the inside of the bus.

"I love you too!" Lexa yelled back "and I'll call you when we arrive!" she promised.

Clarke sighed as she saw the bus drive away. _She could do this._ _Two weeks wasn't that long._ _She could definitely do this._

 

 


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long. School work got in the way and then yesterday my laptop was acting up. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter :) I haven't had time to readproof it so there might be a few mistakes

 

 _Thirty minutes_. Clarke lasted thirty minutes before calling Lexa. 

Lexa was sitting in the back of the bus, her earphones in her ears and her phone in her hand when it started ringing. Lexa smiled when she saw her girlfriend's picture appear on the screen. She accepted the call and brought the phone closer to her mouth so Clarke could hear her over the loud chatter of her teammates.

"Hey, Clarke" she simply said, her lips splitting into a huge grin.

"Hey...I miss you already" Clarke quietly admitted.

Lexa's eyes softened at this. To be completely honest, she was two minutes away from calling Clarke herself.

"I miss you too but it's just two weeks and-"

"Oooh, is it Clarke? Can I talk to her?" Octavia said from beside Lexa.

Lexa nodded in answer and gave one of her earbuds to Octavia so she could hear the conversation. Lexa was actually glad she wouldn't be alone for the trip. Octavia might not be her best friend _-that title belonged to Clarke-_ but she knew the dark-haired girl would have her back if anything happened with Costia which she already proved a few moments earlier.

Before the bus started, Octavia had seen Costia eyeing the seat next to Lexa and had quickly claimed it as hers, forcing Costia to sit on the only available seat left, in the front. Far, far away from them. Lexa had sent her a grateful smile and Octavia had been about to get back up, thinking the brunette wouldn't want her there for the whole trip, when Lexa's hand shot up and circled her wrist, telling her she could stay if she wanted.

"Hey, Clarke!" Octavia cheerfully greeted the blonde.

"Oh hey, O"

Octavia's smile widened. It had been a while since Clarke had called her that. She had missed it.

"Lex, can you give the other earbud to Octavia for a few seconds?"

"Uh...yeah sure" Lexa agreed, slowly passing over the other earbud, leaving her with no way of knowing what they were talking about.

"Please, take care of her" Clarke whispered to Octavia "I know she can handle herself just fine but I don't trust Costia"

"Don't worry Clarke, I will" Octavia promised.

Lexa eyed her curiously. **_What the hell are they talking about?_**

When she got her earphones back, she asked Clarke what this was about but the blonde only replied that it was a secret. Lexa whined and tried to use the _'no secrets between us'_ thing even though she knew it was pointless. Clarke just laughed and told her it was a nice try. Lexa smiled at the sound of Clarke's laughter.

"Have you seen Aden yet?" Lexa asked.

"Not yet. I'm on my way home now" Clarke informed her.

"Could you maybe facetime me when you get back home? Actually...can I facetime you now?"

The call ended and a few seconds later, the screen lit back up with a facetime call from Clarke. Lexa slid her finger against the screen and bright blue eyes were now looking back at her.

"Hey, baby" Clarke greeted her with a blinding smile.

"You're beautiful" Lexa whispered and shot a glare at Octavia when the girl jokingly pretented to gag. A slight blush crept its way on Lexa's cheeks.

She redirected her attention to her grirlfriend who had a small smile playing on her lips.

"I really love you" Clarke said.

Lexa looked to her left to see Octavia's face mere inches away from hers, very clearly trying to listen in on the conversation. Well, half of the conversation because Lexa still had her earphones on. Embarassment be damned, Lexa thought before looking back at the screen and reciprocating Clarke's words.

"I love you too"

Lexa recognised the landscape behind Clarke as her street and knew she was almost home. Sure enough, about a minute later, Clarke turned the key in the lock and Lexa heard Aden's voice through the phone. Clarke switched the view of the camera so Lexa could see Aden.

"Where's Lessa?" Aden asked looking around but not seeing the girl. Lexa chuckled and Aden seemed even more confused when he heard the sound even though she was nowhere to be seen.

Clarke laughed and put an end to his confusion by switching back to the frontal camera and crouching next to the boy.

"Lessa!" The boy yelled and he got closer to the phone, resulting in Lexa only being able to see his forehead.

Lexa laughed as Clarke tugged on the boy's arm to pull him away, placing him at a reasonable distance from the screen. She placed her phone on the coffee table, stabilizing it by putting a glass behind it. She then sat on the couch and placed Aden in her lap.

"Where are you, Lessa? Why you are not here?" Aden squinted his eyes at the screen.

"I'm on a trip" she explained "but I'll be back in two weeks"

Aden pouted when he understood that meant she wasn't going to be back tonight and every other day for two weeks.

"I will call everyday. I promise" Lexa tried to bring a smile to his face.

"Pinky swear?" Aden held up his finger and Clarke grinned because she knew he had picked that up from Lexa. **_Dork,_** Clarke thought as she remembered all the times Lexa has made her pinky swear something.

Lexa held her finger up as well and approached it of the screen, Aden mimicking her actions. The boy frowned when his finger hit the screen instead of Lexa's hand. He was fully expecting to feel Lexa's finger linking with his.

After a few minutes of Aden rambling about his day, Lexa had to hang up because they were going to get off the bus and get set in their respective rooms.

Aden waved at her and Clarke mouthed _'I love you'_ before the video call ended.

Clarke saw Aden's dejected face and lifted him to carefully place him on her shoulders. She was rewarded with his laughter as she ran around the house, the boy bouncing on her shoulders with each step she took and yelling out instructions of the way to go, occasionally telling her to go faster.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

 

Lexa was settling into the room she would share with Octavia for the duration of their stay. She couldn't complain about the room ; it was clean and spacious. There was one problem though. The neighbouring room was occupied by Costia and another cheerleader whose name she couldn't bother to learn.

Octavia dropped her bag next to the bed and heavily fell onto it, the mattress slumping under the weight of her body.

"Fuck, I'm so exhausted" the younger girl sighed.

"That's what an hour on the road will do to you" Lexa said as she started unpacking her bag.

"How do you still have any energy left?" Octavia lifted her head from the pillows to look at her.

Lexa shrugged and resumed unpacking as Octavia dropped her head back on the pillows.

"You do know that we have to be downstairs in ten minutes, right?" Lexa said when she noticed that the girl's eyelids were drooping meaning she would soon fall asleep.

Octavia's eyes shot open and she sat up with renewed energy.

"What!? What for?"

"Some sort of meeting. You would know if you had been listening to what they said when we got off the bus" Lexa said.

"As if you were listening. You were too busy daydreaming about Claaaarke" Octavia teased, drawing out the blonde's name.

"Shut up" Lexa mumbled, throwing a shirt at Octavia's face.

They joined the rest of their teammates downstairs and waited for the coach to arrive. Turns out he just wanted to review their game strategies before allowing them some much needed rest. Their first practice would be tomorrow morning and the game would be held on Friday, three days from now.

"Finally" Octavia whispered happily as she once again crashed onto the mattress.

Lexa shook her head at her and went inside the bathroom to take a shower and brush her teeth.

Octavia was fast asleep and Lexa laughed to herself when she realized that meant Octavia would have to shower very early tomorrow. She certainly wouldn't be happy about it.

She slipped under the blanket and pulled out her phone to send a text to Clarke.

 

**_Babe <3 - 12.45 PM_ **

**_Goodnight, Clarke. I love you._ **

**_PS: I hope I didn't wake you up. If I did I'm sorry_ **

 

**_My girl <3 - 12.48 PM_ **

**_You didn't wake me up but even if you did, I can't think of a better reason to wake up in the middle of the night. Sweet dreams, baby. I love you_ **

 

Clarke's words caused her to blush.

 

**_My girl <3 - 12.50 PM_ **

**_You're totally blushing right now, aren't you?_ **

 

_Busted._

 

**_Babe <3 - 12.51 PM_ **

**_I will neither confirm or deny this affirmation._ **

 

_**My girl <3 - 12.52 PM** _

_**Dork. Now go to sleep. You need to be well rested so you can kill it on the field like always ;)** _

 

**_Babe <3 - 12.52 PM_ **

**_Go to sleep too. Though you don't need rest to be amazing. You always are._ **

 

_**My girl <3 - 12.53 PM** _

_**Alright, ladykiller haha. I love you** _

 

**_Babe <3 - 12.53 PM_ **

**_I love you too_ **

 

Lexa locked her phone and placed it safely on the bedside table, plugging the charger so the battery would be loaded by the time she wakes up. She then fell asleep, a small smile playing on her lips.

 

  


\------------------

  


  


The next morning, Lexa and Octavia were finishing getting ready when they heard someone knock on their door.

Lexa went to open it. She twisted the door handle and pulled it open, stopping when it revealed Costia, grinning from ear to ear. Octavia was ready to jump into action but before she or Costia could do anything, Lexa slammed the door on Costia's face. Literally, on her face. They heard a groan of pain from outside the door where it had collided with the girl's nose.

Behind Lexa, Octavia was rolling on the floor, cackling in laughter while holding her stomach tightly and Lexa, well Lexa was pretty proud of herself.

When her laughter died down, Octavia wiped at the few tears that had escaped and smiled at the brunette.

"That was priceless. Thank you" Octavia told her. Lexa jokingly saluted and laughed a bit.

"That proves me you don't need help to defend yourself but if you ever need anything....I'm here. Also...I...I still owe you a real apology so yeah...I'm really sorry" Octavia said, her voice getting quieter the longer she talked.

"I appreciate it. Thank you, Octavia"

 

  


\-----------------

 

 

It had been a while since Clarke had gone to school alone. She had become used to having Lexa beside her, discussing about anything and everything and she couldn't deny that it felt lonely to walk down those same streets alone.

 Upon arriving, she spotted Raven leaning against the school's building and walked towards her only to stop about ten feet away. She wasn't sure what they were. Yes, they had been hanging out together again but it would take sometime for them to get back to the level of friendship they had before, if they ever got back to it. Raven seemed to be just as uncertain when she hesitantly made her way over.

"Hey" Raven quietly said.

"Hey, Rae" Clarke thought using the brunette's nickname would put her more at ease and lessen the awkwardness and she was clearly right because the latina visibly relaxed and a smile stretched her face.

Raven nervously picked on her nails then elevated her gaze to look at Clarke again. It was rare to see Raven without her usual confidence which was in truth just a mask to hide her  vulnerability.

"I was wondering if you wanted to stay together at lunch or between classes cause you know...Lexa and O aren't there and...uh...forget it, you probably don't want to. I'm sor-"

"Sure. I'd love to" Clarke put an end to her nervous rambling.

"Really?!"

"Yeah" Clarke shrugged "you know I'm not one to hold grudges forever"

"Thank you!" Raven surged forward and threw both arms around the blonde.

She seemed to immediately realize what she had done and tried to quickly retract her arms but Clarke tightened her hold on her waist, keeping her close for a few more seconds before pulling away.

Clarke started walking. Not hearing any footsteps behind her, she turned around and raised an inquisitive eyebrow at Raven who was still standing there, not moving.

"You coming?"

Raven nodded and fell into steps with the blonde.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

After class, Clarke looked for Raven but she was nowhere to be seen. She checked her phone and saw she got a new message from her.

 

**_Rae - 4.15 PM_ **

**_Sorry. Had to leave early. Dentist appointment. See ya tmrw_ **

 

Clarke sighed and was putting her phone back in her pocket when a heavy body pressed against hers, trapping her against the wall.

"Finn, get off of me" Clarke tried to push him away but he was too strong.

"Come on, now that the bitch is away, why don't you let me show you a good time?" He put his filthy hands on her hips while she struggled.

"You heard her. _Let go of her_ " a third voice said.

Clarke frowned. She knew that voice.

"This has nothing to do with you, Luna. I suggest you walk away" Finn spat.

"Yeah, right" Luna said.

She strode towards him and brutally tugged on the collar of his shirt, making him release the grip he had on Clarke and sending him to the ground. She then gently grabbed Clarke's wrist and guided her outside the building.

"Where's your car?" Luna asked.

"I...uh..I walked here today" Clarke answered, still confused as to why Luna, out of all people, was helping her.

Luna nodded and led them a bit further in the parking lot.

"Alright, get in" she instructed.

Luna rolled her eyes when Clarke seemed to hesitate.

"I won't kidnap you. Besides Finn is catching up to us" she said, nodding in the direction of the boy "so unless you want to deal with that, I'd advise you to just get in"

Clarke slowly climbed into the passenger seat and watched as Luna walked around the car to reach the driver's side before she started the car and left the school area. Clarke gave the girl her address and they drove in silence.

"Why did you do that?" Clarke finally voiced her thoughts.

"What do you mean?" Luna averted her eyes from the road for less than a second to look at Clarke.

"Why did you help me? I....I thought you hated me?" It sounded more like a question than an affirmation. Luna chuckled a bit.

"I didn't hate you. I was jealous of you" she said.

Clarke's eyebrows went up to her hairline. She was not expecting Luna to admit it.

"Look, I've been shitty to you " Luna continued, "I had feelings for Lexa and I was bitter that she chose you but you make her happy, that much is obvious. I'm not a bitch. I won't try to break up a couple. Although I'm pretty sure you would never let anyone come between the two of you"

"I don't know what to say..." Clarke said.

"How about _'thanks Luna for saving me today. I don't know what I would do without you'_ ?"

"Don't push it" Clarke said and Luna laughed.

"I tried" she shrugged.

 

\--------------------

 

 

"You will never guess what happened today" Clarke told Lexa as soon as she accepted the facetime call.

"Hello to you too" Lexa chuckled.

Clarke rolled her eyes " _Hello, Lexa._ You will never guess what happened today"

"Okay, tell me"

"Well Finn was harassing me and-"

"He was _what!?_ " Lexa loudly said through the phone.

"It's fine" Clarke told her.

"It's not...Clarke, I hate not being able to be there for you..." Lexa dejectedly said. Hearing about things like that and knowing there was nothing she could do about it was killing her.

"I know, baby but I'm fine. I promise" she reassured her, "pinky swear" she teased.

"Don't you _'pinky swear'_ me, Clarke" Lexa warned, trying to look threathening but it looked more endearing than menacing. Clarke laughed at her girlfriend's cuteness.

"Anyways, he actually didn't do anything because Luna stepped up" Clarke revealed.

"Wait....Luna?" Lexa was confused, "doesn't she hate you?"

"Yeah, I thought so too but she was just jealous. She actually apologized" Clarke informed her.

"Oh...I...this is great. I'll thank her for that when I get back" Lexa decided. It was only fair she showed some form of gratitude towards the girl.

"Now let's talk about you" Clarke said "how's practice?"

"It was good. Really good. But exhausting" Lexa settled on the bed, resting her head against the pillow.

"When's next practice?"

"Tomorrow at seven in the morning"

"Then you should get some sleep, champion" Clarke told her.

"No. I want to talk to you" Lexa said, the last word being muffled by her yawn.

"Alright, baby, but don't blame me if you're tired tomorrow" Clarke said.

"I won't. Tell me about the rest of your day" Lexa said, rolling on her side.

And Clarke did. Lexa was occasionally humming, showing she was listening but she had difficulties staying awake.

Clarke was in the middle of a sentence when she heard Lexa's light snoring. She smiled fondly. She couldn't really be mad at her girlfriend for falling asleep on her because Lexa looked so damn adorable right now.

"I am so in love with you" Clarke whispered into the phone.

She watched the brunette's sleeping form for a few more seconds then ended the call and fell asleep as well.

  


  



	22. Chapter 22

 

_"Please come back"_ Clarke pleaded.

It had been a little over a week since Lexa had left and although Clarke had Raven to keep her company, it still felt pretty lonely without her girlfriend here.

"You know I can't" Lexa told her.

_"Yeah....yeah, I know"_ Clarke sighed _"on a lighter note, I heard you've won the first game"_ she said, pride seeping into her voice.

"We did" Lexa nodded, her smile growing.

_"Are you ready for tomorrow night's game?"_

"Ready as I'll ever be" Lexa confidently said.

_"Confidence looks good on you"_ Clarke spoke aloud without realizing it.

"You know what else looks good on me?" Lexa asked.

_"What?"_

"You" Lexa said and Clarke shook her head at her but couldn't help the smile that broke free.

_"You didn't just say that"_ Clarke laughed.

"I did" Lexa laughed with her.

_"You're such a dork"_

"You love me anyway" Lexa shot back.

_"I do. I really do"_

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

Lexa was stretching her legs on the bench before their morning practice while the rest of the team was still getting changed inside. A figure approached her and she rolled her eyes upon seeing who it was.

"Go away, Costia"

"Don't be like that. I just want to wish luck to my favorite player for tonight's game" Costia said in a sultry voice.

"Well you just did so now you can go" Lexa coldly shot back.

Costia completely ignored her words and stepped closer to Lexa.

"I thought we could go out for dinner tonight. For old time's sake" she flirted, sliding her index finger along the bare skin of Lexa's forearm.

"I have no interest in being friends with you, let alone rekindle the joke of a relationship we had" Lexa said as she yanked her arm away and started to walk away.

A strong hand gripped her wrist and forced her to turn around. Costia slipped her other hand behind Lexa's neck and forcefully smashed her lips against the brunette. It all happened so fast that Lexa didn't have time to prevent it. As soon as she realized what was happening, she put both hands on the girl's shoulders and used all her strength to push her away.

Lexa wiped at her mouth angrily and stumbled a bit backwards before regaining her balance and running away, as far away from Costia as possible. She passed by Octavia and the last thing she heard was the younger girl's distant voice, yelling at Costia to _'get the fuck off their field'._

She stopped running after a while and leaned against the wall of a building. Which one, she couldn't tell. It didn't matter. She recognised the telltale signs of a panic attack. Usually thinking about Clarke helped prevent one from happening but this time, thinking about Clarke would only fuel the growing feeling of guilt that was eating up at her.

She was not the one who kissed Costia but that didn't mean she didn't feel any guilt. She pulled out her phone, completely disregarding the fact that Clarke was probably in class right now. She pressed on her contact and send a quick text.

__

_**Babe <3 - 8.45 AM** _

_**I need you** _

 

Not even a minute later, her phone rang with an incoming call from her girlfriend. She accepted the call and brought the phone to her ear with shaky hands.

_"Is something wrong?"_ Clarke immediately asked.

"I....I'm so sorry" Lexa broke into uncontrollable sobs.

_"What? Baby, what are you talking about?"_

"I can't...I'm sorry" Lexa apologized again.

_"Okay, calm down and explain to me what's going on. I'm here. Whatever it is, we can figure it out"_

Lexa nodded even though Clarke couldn't see her and did her best to stop the sobs wracking through her body. It took a little while but she managed to get her breathing back to normal.

_"Good"_ Clarke whispered into the phone _"now, do you want to tell me what happened?"_ She gently asked and Lexa wanted to cry all over again because Clarke was just so kind and considerate.

"C-Costia....she-she" Lexa inhaled shakily.

_"What did she do?"_ Clarke asked, clearly trying to keep her anger at bay for her girlfriend's sake.

"She...she kissed me" Lexa finally said in a whisper.

The line was silent for a few seconds and Lexa closed her eyes, afraid of what that silence meant.

_"Okay"_ Clarke broke the silence.

"O-Okay? That's all you have to say?" Lexa frowned.

_"Did you kiss her back?"_ Clarke calmly asked.

"No! Of course not, Clarke!" Lexa quickly denied, shaking her head.

_"Do you love me?"_

"With all my heart" Lexa answered with total honesty.

_"Then that's all that matters"_ Clarke said.

"But...but I...and you-"

_"But nothing. Lex, the only reason I could have been mad about it is if you didn't tell me. But you did. And considering how agitated you are, it probably didn't happen that long ago which means you told me immediately. Why should I be mad at you?"_ Clarke questioned.

"I...because she...she kissed me and.."

_"And you didn't kiss her back"_ Clarke finished for her _"you can't control what others do. I won't be mad at you for something that isn't your fault in any way"_

"Thank you" Lexa sighed in relief.

_"There is nothing to thank me for"_ Clarke told her.

Both stayed silent until something crossed Lexa's mind.

"How did you manage to get out of the classroom?" she curiously asked.

_"You know, I don't know why but say the word 'periods' to a man and he'll let you go to the bathroom no questions asked. Our science teacher is no exception to the rule"_

Lexa let out a watery laugh and brought the phone closer to her ear.

"Can you...could you just stay for a few more minutes?" She shyly asked.

_"Anything for you"_

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

**_\-- Costia's POV --_ **

 

"I won't do this anymore" Costia said

_"What do you mean?"_ Bellamy asked through the phone.

"I mean that I won't be a pawn in your little plan anymore. If you want to get revenge so badly, do it yourself"

_"You can't do this! You promised you would go through with it!"_ He started raising his voice.

"I never promised you shit. I thought it would be fun but so far, I just managed to get punched and get a door slammed on my face which was my fault but still. This is not working. I've tried everything. They won't break up. If I were you, I would just give up already. As for me, I'm done"

_"Don't you dare, Costia"_ he said threateningly.

"Watch me" she said before ending the call.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

"Are you okay?" Octavia asked when Lexa stepped back onto the field, her hair slightly disheveled and her cheeks flushed from running.

Lexa nodded and set off on a run, joining her other teammates as they ran laps around the field. Octavia caught up to her and started jogging alongside her.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes....no...I just...I miss her" Lexa dropped her gaze to the ground as she kept a steady running rhythm, "Is it weird that I miss her so much?" Lexa spoke again, suddenly unsure whether or not she was overreacting.

"Not really. It doesn't take a genius to see how much you two love each other. To be honest, I don't think I've ever seen two people love each other as much as you and Clarke do" Octavia said in between sharp intakes of breath as they kept running behind the rest of their teammates.

"Are we that obvious?" Lexa asked.

"Even worse than you think" Octavia said, her words laced with playfulness.

Lexa blushed and looked away. Octavia put her hand in a fist and held it right below her mouth as if it was a microphone while imitating the narrating voice in movie trailers.

"You have all been waiting for it" she started in a deep voice, looking at an imaginary public, "In less than a week, it will finally arrive. Get ready for the Clexa reuniooooon" She finished, drawing out the word _'reunion'_ for dramatic effect.

"Clexa?" Lexa asked while willing her cheeks to return to their usual color.

"Clarke and Lexa....that's the mix of both your names. You know like when you ship two people and you just-"

"Ship?" Lexa was confused.

"You're a lost cause" Octavia said as she sped up, running away.

"Octavia!" Lexa yelled after the laughing girl "what the fuck does it mean!?"

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

_"Did you really just call me to ask me what 'to ship' means?"_ Clarke asked, amused.

"Well, Octavia won't tell me and it obviously has nothing to do with the action of sending a package to another country or with a boat. I'm deeply confused"

Clarke laughed and her next words were whispered into the phone.

_"Guess you'll have to figure it out yourself"_

"But we don't have access to an internet connection here" Lexa whined as she plopped down on her bed.

_"Too bad, babe"_

"If we lose tonight's game because I'm too confused to play, I blame you"

_"Sure, babe"_ Clarke chuckled.

"You really won't tell me?" Lexa tried again.

_"Nope"_ Clarke answered, popping the _'p'_

"No kiss for you when I get back"

_"You're kidding yourself if you think you won't bend that rule as soon as you see me"_

Lexa opened her mouth, ready to reply but snapped it close just as fast.

"....true" she ended up saying.

_"Hold on a second, I wanna see your cute face"_

"I'm not cute" Lexa started saying only to be cut off when the call ended.

Ten seconds later, her phone rang again with a facetime call and if she wasn't so eager to see her girlfriend, Lexa would have been embarrassed about answering it so quickly.

_"You are cute"_ was the first thing Clarke said when her face appeared on the screen.

"Untrue"

_"Very true"_ Clarke countered.

"You're lucky I love you"

Clarke hummed in answer, a smile forming on her lips. Lexa grabbed one of her pillows and hugged it against her chest with her left arm. She trapped her bottom lip between her teeth as a smile matching Clarke's broke free.

She watched as Clarke's tongue slipped out of her mouth to wet her pink lips. **_Great, now I can't stop staring at her lips,_** Lexa thought. Those tantalizing lips that she wanted more than anything to capture between her own.

_"When you come back, I'm kidnapping you for the day"_ Clarke pulled her out of her thoughts

By the smirk now plastered on the blonde's face, Lexa knew Clarke had noticed where the brunette's attention had been drawn to for the last ten seconds or so.

"Y-yeah?" Lexa stumbled over her words, making Clarke laugh quietly "and where would we go?"

_"Wouldn't it ruin the surprise if I told you?"_ Clarke rhetorically asked, sending a wink to Lexa.

"I don't like surprises" Lexa lied.

_"I think we have already established that this is not true"_

Whatever Lexa was about to say was cut off when Aden barged into the room.

_"Lessa!"_ He squealed in joy, climbing on the bed and settling in Clarke's lap.

"How are you, buddy?" Lexa asked and that was Aden's cue to start naming every single thing he had done today. From eating breakfast to playing hide and seek with Jake.

Lexa laughed at the image of Jake hiding in a tiny cupboard because he hadn't found a suitable hiding spot in time and had panicked and jumped head first in the first spot he could find. Needless to say, both of his legs were sticking out of the cupboard when Aden found him. Aden didn't seem to find it funny as he repeated to Lexa the words he had said to Jake.

_"Dad don't know how to hide"_

Lexa's laughter suddenly stopped and Clarke's lips formed a huge grin at the boy's words. It was the first time Aden had referred to Jake as his dad. Aden didn't seem to realize their reaction and kept talking. Something about hiding in the bath. Clarke and Lexa were too busy smiling dumbly at each other to register his words.

**_That explains why dad was tearing up when I came back home,_** Clarke thought, chuckling to herself as she recalled the lame excuse her father had come up with.

_'Just something in my eye'_ he had said, hastily wiping at his eyes.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

Lexa positioned herself to catch with her left foot the ball Harper had sent her way. She then ran along the right side of the field and passed it to Octavia who had one more defender to outrun before being able to make an attempt at a goal.

Octavia took too long and was now stuck between two defender who had quickly caught up to her. She saw Lexa a few meters ahead, alone. She kicked the ball between the legs of one of the defender and the ball rolled to Lexa who ran as fast as she could then kicked the ball in the far right corner of the net, out of the goalkeeper's reach, scoring the victory goal.

Lexa only had about five seconds to catch her breath before she was pulled into a bone-crushing hug from Octavia which turned into a group hug when the rest of the team caught up to them.

"Guys, I appreciate it but I'm kinda suffocating here" Lexa called out, trapped in a mass of bodies.

They gave her some space and she smiled discreetly as each one gave her a light tap on the shoulder.

She was a very modest player and had never really seeked the cheers of the crowd or the small popularity scoring a capital goal brings her amongst students. It didn't matter to her. She played because she loved it, not to make a name for herself.

"We made it, bitches!!" Octavia yelled, throwing both fists in the air, as the referee blew his whistle, indicating the end of the game.

They were qualified for the final game which would be against Azgeda, no surprise there. It almost always came down to those two teams in the final game and Azgeda always won. The difference was that this time, Arkadia was more determined than ever to win this.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

"Alright, guys" Octavia started as the team gathered in a circle around her, "tonight is the big game. We cannot lose to them again. Full pressure"

"Aren't you supposed to tell us that even if we lose, it's fine as long as we played our best?" Harper asked, frowning.

 "I really, _really_ want to win" Octavia answered in a frighteningly low voice, enunciating each word slowly while looking at Harper very intensely. Harper gulped and quickly nodded her head.

Octavia was merciless during that last practice. Every single mistake was scrutinized and immediately corrected. The coach upon seeing the fire and the determination in Octavia's eyes had let her lead this last pratice and watched with amusement as she bossed her teammates around with unlimited energy.

Apart from Lexa and Octavia, they all fell to the ground as the final whistle was blown, ending the practice session. Soon everyone was gone to take a well-needed shower. The only ones left being Lexa and Octavia, still discussing tactics for the game. After a few more minutes, Octavia left saying she had to pack her bags because she would be too tired to do it after the game.

As Lexa slung her bag over her shoulder, her phone buzzed in the pocket of her shorts. She pulled it out to see an incoming call from Clarke.

_"Hey, babe"_ the blonde greeted and Lexa could hear the smile in her voice, _"you look beautiful"_

Lexa was confused. This wasn't a facetime call. ** _How could she know what I look like right now?_** She wondered.

"How do you know?" Lexa voiced out her thoughts.

_"Look to your right, baby"_

Lexa did and dropped the bag she was holding when she saw her girlfriend, standing in the middle of the field, her phone clutched in her hand and held up to her ear.

She quickly placed her phone safely in her shorts' pocket and ran faster than she ever did. Her body collided with Clarke's as she pulled the girl into a tight embrace.

"You're here" she whispered in her hair "you're really here"

"I am" Clarke murmured into her neck.

Lexa tightened her arms around Clarke's waist and breathed her in. She had missed the scent of vanilla that invaded her senses whenever Clarke was around. She had missed feeling the blonde's body pressed so closely against hers that not an inch of space was left between them.

Clarke pulled away and Lexa's disappointment at the action was short-lived as Clarke captured her lips in her own. Lexa's heart exploded at the feeling of it all, at finally tasting those tentalizing lips after what seemed like forever. It was slow and comforting. It was everything Lexa had been thinking about for the last two weeks.

Lexa ran her fingers along Clarke's spine as Clarke placed her hands on each side of Lexa's face, her fingers brushing along the brunette's jawline as she deepened the kiss, earning a hum of approval from Lexa.

Lexa moved her hands from Clarke's waist and brought them to brush the underside of her boobs. Two weeks ago, Lexa might've been hesitant to touch that area of Clarke's body without asking for Clarke's consent first but she hadn't seen the blonde in weeks and had missed her terribly. With that in mind, she moved her hands to Clarke's chest and squeezed her breasts, completely ignoring the fact that they were in a public place. Everyone had already gone home by now anyway. Clarke moaned in response and tangled her fingers in brunette curls.

They separated briefly to catch their breath before slamming their lips back together, not wanting to be apart for more than a few seconds. Clarke's tongue brushed over Lexa's bottom lip before being granted access.

When they eventually pulled away to relieve their burning lungs, Clarke leaned her forehead on Lexa's as their chests heaved with each intake of breath.

"God I missed doing that" Clarke breathed out.

"I'm scared that if I open my eyes, it will all turn out to be a dream and you won't be here with me" Lexa said.

"I can assure you I'm very real" Clarke whispered, brushing her lips on Lexa's, applying minimal pressure.

Lexa tilted her chin up and connected their lips for a brief kiss. She then opened her eyes to see her favorite blue eyes looking back at her. She cupped Clarke's cheeks and slid her thumb over her bottom lip.

"I'm so glad you're here" she murmured.

"Did you really think I would miss the final?" Clarke raised an eyebrow.

"I..I didn't know.."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world" Clarke said as she linked their fingers and picked up Lexa's bag, throwing it over her shoulder.

"Oh no, let me carry that" Lexa said.

"Let me be the chivalrous one for once" Clarke told her.

Lexa smiled and let herself be pulled by her girlfriend towards the parking lot where Clarke had left her car. Upon their arrival, a blonde head popped from behind the car and ran into Lexa's arms.

"Lessa! You're here!" Aden excitedly yelled as he tightly wrapped his tiny arms around her legs.

Jake, Abby, Anya and Indra also came out of the car, each greeting Lexa with a hug.

They started catching up on the event of the past weeks and Anya noticed how fidgety Lexa was becoming. The brunette kept stealing glances at Clarke's car and when she was not doing that, she was grinning and sending hearteyes to the blonde who was unsurprisingly looking right back at her with a matching grin. Anya rolled her eyes.

"Lexa?" She called out.

"Hm?" Lexa distractedly hummed.

 "Why don't you go back to your fancy hotel with Clarke while we get settled in our _much cheaper_ and _much less comfortable_ one?" Anya said, glaring at Indra who had decided to book rooms at a hotel nearby where the team practices instead of the more expensive one which Lexa was staying at.

"Don't look at me like that, young lady" Indra scolded her, "sorry I was not born rich"

Both girls quickly said bye to everyone, crouching to wrap their arms around Aden who adamantly refused to let them leave without giving him a hug.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

Octavia had left a note on their hotel room's door reading :

 

> _Have fun with Clarke. God knows you missed her. I'll be staying in Harper's room if you need anything. Have a goodnight ;)_
> 
> _PS : don't be too loud, be considerate of our neighbours who need their  eight hours of sleep_

 

Clarke laughed and dragged a very red Lexa inside. She dropped on the bed and tugged at the hem of Lexa's shirt, prompting her to join her. Lexa slipped into bed. She rested her head on Clarke's chest and the blonde threaded her fingers through her hair.

"How did Octavia know you would be here?" Lexa suddenly asked, looking up at her girlfriend.

"I might've have asked her to make sure you were still on the field by the time I arrived"

Lexa nodded and snuggled further into Clarke's chest. She slung her arm across her waist, resting her hand on Clarke's hip, under her shirt. She traced small circles on the skin there. Clarke took Lexa's chin between her thumb and index finger and tilted it up, bringing their mouths together.

Lexa readjusted her position so she was straddling Clarke. She bent down and peppered small kisses all over Clarke's face, her lips traveling down its length to find their home on the blonde's lips. Their lips melted together in a controlled kiss.

Clarke discarded her shirt and tugged at the hem of Lexa's, prompting the brunette to do the same. Lexa quickly got rid of the piece of clothing, leaving them both in their bras, and lowered herself, pressing their covered breasts together.

This wasn't done with any sexual intention. It was done purely out of a need of feeling the other. Right now, they both needed slow and soft, not heated and rough.

"Don't ever leave me alone again" Clarke murmured as they broke apart.

"I won't" Lexa replied, "I love you" she whispered in Clarke's neck before leaving delicate kisses on the spot between her neck and shoulder, careful not to leave a mark.

"I love you too" Clarke whispered back, cupping Lexa's cheeks to bring her in for one more chaste kiss.

Lexa sighed contentedly and settled back in her girlfriend's arms. Her eyelids were getting heavier by the second. Clarke noticed how tired she was and kissed the crown of her head.

"Get some sleep. I'll wake you if anything important comes up"

Lexa hummed as she buried her face in Clarke's neck and she almost instantly drifted into a peaceful sleep, in the safety of Clarke's arms.

 

 


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hadn't mentioned it before because I hadn't decided yet but the soccer coach's name is Gustus. That way, you can picture him better :)

 

 

Lexa's eyes fluttered open and she felt arms circling her body. She smiled when she realised it was Clarke. She buried her face further into Clarke's neck and ghosted her lips over it. The blonde's arms tightened around her, bringing her impossibly close, but she was still sleeping soundly. She had fallen asleep about thirty minutes after Lexa.

Lexa's kisses moved to Clarke's jaw and to the tip of her nose. Clarke's nose scrunched up adorably and she blinked a few times before completely opening her eyes. A smile took over her features when she saw Lexa leaning above her with a blinding smile.

"Hey, baby" Clarke croacked out in a sleepy voice as she rubbed her eyes.

In answer, Lexa bent down to steal her lips. Clarke moved her hands to brunette curls and tangled her fingers in them. Lexa opened one of her eyes while still keeping her lips pressed against Clarke to check the time on the alarm clock.

"I would....love to....continue this" Lexa said between kisses before pulling away completely "but I have to prepare for tonight's game"

"Oh yeah, right..that's right" Clarke breathed out, her cheeks a bit flushed.

Lexa bent down to press one more kiss on her lips then got up to get ready. She put on her shoes and turned around to see Clarke in only her bra and underwear.

"W-what are you doing?" Lexa stammered out.

"Getting changed" Clarke shrugged, smirking at the flustered look on Lexa's face then moved towards Lexa's closet to retrieve clothes, purposely adding a bit of sway to her hips as she walked.

"I-I'll just wait down- uh downstairs" Lexa stuttered before darting out of the room.

 

 

\----------------------------

 

 

The stadium was roaring while the tension was building in the locker room. They were fifteen minutes away from playing the very anticipated game. Lexa was sitting on the bench, breathing slowly through her nose to calm her nerves. It was only partially working. From the loud noises, she knew the stadium was most likely full of supporters. Mostly Azgeda supporters considering the stadium was closer to their school. Octavia came up behind her and rubbed her shoulders to relieve the knots of tension that had formed there.

"Relax, Lexa. I know I have stressed over the importance of this game but it's not worth getting sick over" Octavia tapped on her shoulder and walked towards her other teammates to review their strategy before the game. **_I can do this. I got this,_ ** Lexa psyched herself.

She got up and joined the rest of the team, feeling a bit more at ease than she did a few seconds prior. She would go out there, play her best and most importantly have fun because that's the reason she started playing soccer in the first place. Because it makes her happy.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

The small performance of the cheerleading squad was coming to an end and Clarke had spent most of it burning holes in Costia's head with her eyes. Finally, the cheerleaders deserted the field and Azgeda's team came out. Ontari as their leader, marching at the front, her chin tilted up, all high and mighty. Clarke kept stealing glances at the space from where players come from, hoping to catch a glimpse of her girlfriend but no such luck. It was almost completely dark in there.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Lexa eventually made her way out and it only took her ten seconds to spot Clarke in the crowd, waving at her excitedly, sitting with her parents, Aden and Lexa's mom. Anya was sitting a row above them, chatting _-flirting-_ with some girl Lexa had never seen. _**Typical,** _ Lexa rolled her eyes.

Lexa knew she was supposed to stand next to her teammates before the game begins but she couldn't resist running up to her girlfriend. She climbed up the bleachers and placed a hand behind Clarke's neck, pulling her in for a kiss. The stadium let out an _'aww'_ as their image was played on the big screen.

"Good luck kiss" she whispered against Clarke's lips.

Clarke laughed and swatted her chest then kissed her once more. Lexa ruffled Aden's hair before she went back to her team in the middle of the field, clasping her hands behind her back and grinning adorably.

"Quite a first impression you made there" Octavia leaned on the side to whisper in her ear.

Lexa shrugged and her grin didn't falter as she looked straight at Clarke whose grin matched hers. She winked at the blonde and saw the faintest pink take over her cheeks.

"You guys are gross" Octavia muttered.

"Stay jealous" Lexa sassed her.

The blow of the whistle made them take their position on the field as the game was about to begin. Azgeda kept the ball in their possession for the first few minutes, advancing steadily towards the opposing goal but Arkadia changed the balance when Monroe tackled one of their players, taking possession of the ball and passing it to Tris, the left wing defender. Tris was soon blocked by an Azgeda player and had no other choice than to bring the ball back, passing it to Monroe who then made a run for the middle of the field. She saw an opening and launched the ball over the head of an Azgeda player. It landed right on Lexa's foot. Clarke cheered for her girlfriend when she saw she had the ball. She had never completely understood the rules of soccer but she was getting better at it. For example, she knew that, had Lexa not dodged it, the tackle Ontari had attempted would have been a foul. A yellow-card-worthy foul. Azgeda were playing dirty.

Lexa kept advancing on the field, skillfully dribbling the defenders. She kicked the ball a bit ahead of Octavia who slid on the grass and extended her right foot to try and kick it into the net but unfortunately, her foot was missing a few inches and the ball rolled past her. Azgeda's goalkeeper let out a sigh of relief but what she hadn't accounted for was that Harper had run up the field and had caught the ball Octavia had missed. She kicked it with as much strength she could master and it rolled past the goalkeeper, landing swiftly in the bottom left corner of the net.

To say the girl was happy would be an understatement. She was jumping around in excitement and disbelief that she had scored her first goal in a competition, in the final game on top of it. She was soon swamped up by her teammates as the crowd erupted in cheers. Well, the part of the crowd filled with Arkadia supporters. The rest of the stadium was brooding. Lexa pulled away from the group hug and chanced a glance at her girlfriend who was looking back at her, pride written in her eyes. Even though Lexa hadn't been the one to score, she had made the decisive pass and that was what Clarke would remember.

The rest of the first-half was pretty much uneventful. Both teams played well and created a few opportunities, none of which resulting in a goal. Both teams were going back inside the locker rooms.

Clarke ran her way down the bleachers, accidently pushing people aside, apologizing each time. She spotted Lexa at the entrance of the hallway leading to the locker room and ran up to her, suprising her by jumping on her back. Lexa let out a small _'oompf'_ and after recovering from the surprise, she placed her arms under Clarke's legs, securing them around her waist then kept walking, ignoring the obnoxiously loud whistles coming from a few guys in the crowd.

"Are you even allowed in here?" Lexa asked as she lowered Clarke to the ground.

Clarke shrugged and grabbed Lexa's shirt in her fists. She forcefully pulled the girl against her to connect their lips and Lexa was happy to comply, forgetting about the presence of her teammates until someone loudly cleared their throat. Lexa pulled away, ready to roll her eyes at whoever did it but stopped moving completely when she saw the coach _-Gustus-_ standing in the middle of the room, his arms crossed in front of his chest, a stern expression on his face.

"Lexa" he started and she audibly gulped.

His expression suddenly changed and his lips split into a huge grin, "how come you've never introduced me to your girlfriend?"

"Umm because you are my coach...and that would be weird" Lexa hesitantly replied.

"Nonsense, we're all family here" Gustus said as he wrapped his huge arms around Clarke and lifted her in the air with next to no difficulties.

"Uhh...hi" Clarke said from where she was being squished by his strong arms.

He finally let her go and she could breathe properly. Lexa laughed when she saw her oxygen-deprived face which was quite red. Clarke glared at her and slapped her arm.

"Alright, guys" Gustus loudly called their attention. They gathered in a circle, each placing their arms over the shoulders of the two people next to them, "The first half was good but we need to be even better if we want to win. We cannot let them catch up to the score"

With that, he launched himself into an explanation of the strategy to adopt. Clarke threaded her way between Lexa and Octavia and placed her arms over their shoulders, winking at Lexa and the brunette laughed.

"You were feeling left out?" Lexa whispered in her ear.

"A little" Clarke admitted and she moved her arms to wrap around Lexa's waist.

"Damn it, Clarke! You broke the circle" Octavia whispered loudly.

Clarke shrugged and stuck her tongue out then hugged Lexa tighter, resting her head on her shoulder.

 

 

\------------------------------

 

 

"Fuck!" Octavia yelled as Ontari's shot flew past the goalkeeper, evening up the score.

They only had fifteen minutes left to win this. Octavia looked at each of her teammates, receiving a nod from each of them. They were all determined to win this and it showed in their play because they created more than a few occasions for themselves. However, none of which were conclusive.

This time, though, Lexa was convinced she could make it. She had neatly tackled a player and stolen the ball from her and was now running towards the goalkeeper who seemed to be five seconds away from peeing herself because of the fear Lexa's determination had set into her. Lexa was about to kick the ball when she felt a sharp hit in her calf and fell to the ground in excruciating pain, holding her leg in her hands.

The referee blew his whistle and Clarke ran down the bleachers and jumped over the small fence, ignoring the referee yelling at her to get off the field.

"Lexa!" She yelled as she got closer to the girl.

She crouched next to the brunette and cupped her cheeks.

"Baby, are you okay?"

Lexa groaned in pain and Clarke got her answer. She felt anger seep into her body and fixed Ontari with a glare.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

Ontari chuckled and raised her hands. Clarke was getting up but Lexa stopped her by placing a hand around her wrist.

"Clarke, don't"

"But Lexa..."

"I'm okay. It's not worth getting in trouble for. Besides, you are five seconds away from being escorted off the field" Lexa laughed and nodded towards the men approaching along with the medical team.

"Shit. You sure you're okay?" Clarke asked again.

"I am" Lexa said. She got up and walked a bit "see? Nothing" she lied. It was painful but she didn't want Clarke to worry.

"I'm still going with you to the clinic" Clarke said.

"What? No, you should stay and enjoy the rest of the game"

"This wasn't a question. I'm going with you"

Lexa knew that when Clarke set her mind on something, it was very difficult to dissuade her so she just smiled at her and nodded.

Clarke followed them as they took Lexa inside and the game resumed without Ontari who had received a red card, her actions giving Arkadia a shot at a penalty kick.

Lexa layed on the examination seat and tried not to wince when the doctor applied pressure on her calf.

"Does it hurt?" He asked.

Lexa simply nodded but in her mind, her reply was very different. **_Yes, it fucking hurts, dumbass. Not like I just got kicked there full force a couple minutes ago_**. Clarke as if sensing her discomfort placed her hand in hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Once the doctor was done with his examination, she got up from the seat, and thanked the man as he handed her some cream that will supposedly lessen the pain. He offered to apply it in a way that sounded way too creepy and Clarke snatched the cream from his hand then told him she would do it herself and that his services were no longer required. Lexa laughed as she limped her way out of the cabinet.

Clarke insisted that she applies it on Lexa's skin before joining her teammates and forced her to sit against the wall while she did so. Lexa whined a bit but sighed contentedly at the feeling of Clarke's soft hands smoothing along her skin, spreading the cream on it.

"You scared me" Clarke murmured when she was done.

"I'm sorry" Lexa offered because what else could she say?

Clarke wiped her hands with a tissue then threw both arms around Lexa, hugging her tight. Lexa responded by wrapping hers around Clarke's waist and dropped her head on the blonde's shoulder.

"You were amazing out there" Clarke whispered in her neck.

"You think so?" Lexa asked, raising her head to look at Clarke.

Clarke nodded and tentatively grazed Lexa's lips with hers. The brunette pressed her lips more firmly against Clarke's and tangled her fingers in blonde locks. She nipped at her lower lip, pulling at it, then soothed it with her tongue.

"Hey, lovebirds! You're cute and all but we have a victory to celebrate" Octavia called from the end of the hallway.

"We won?" Lexa asked, her excitement growing.

"Damn right, we did!"

"Clarke, we won" Lexa said in disbelief, "we won!"

"Yes you did, baby" Clarke laughed but it was cut off when Lexa's lips smashed against hers. Clarke hummed into the kiss and brought both hands to Lexa's cheeks.

"Here we go again" Octavia said, rolling her eyes.

"We won" Lexa whispered when she pulled away.

"I'm proud of you" Clarke told her.

"OKAY, Let's go" Octavia said, pulling a beaming Lexa to her feet and carried her bridal style to the exit while she ran to spare the brunette the pain of walking with her injured leg.

"I love you!" Lexa called over her shoulder.

"I love you too!" Clarke called back, chuckling to herself as she walked outside as well.

 

 

\-------------------------------

 

 

They spotted their families at the top of the bleachers, waiting for them. Aden was sleeping in Jake's arms, some drool coming out of his mouth. Lexa smiled and used a tissue to wipe it off.

"We're going to go back to the hotel. The little one needs his sleep and quite frankly, so do I" Jake told them.

"Alright dad. Enjoy going to sleep at 10 PM" Clarke said.

"You make me sound so old" he whined.

"It's because you are old" she said, placing a kiss on his cheek.

"For all it's worth, I don't think you're old, Jake" Lexa chimed in.

"See? That's why Lexa's my favorite" Jake told Clarke who rolled her eyes and hugged her mother.

"Is your leg okay, sweetie?" The doctor in Abby couldn't help but ask.

"It doesn't hurt as much anymore, thanks for asking"

Abby gave the girl a hug and they all went their separate ways, Clarke and Lexa getting in the car, ready to head to the party that was being held in honor of their victory. How people had managed to organize a party in such short notice was a mistery but they were glad about it because they both needed a night to unwind, to loosen up. Anya slipped inside the car as Clarke turned the key in the ignition and they turned to look at her questioningly.

"What? I love parties, there's a party so I'm going" Anya shrugged.

"Where's the girl from earlier?" Lexa asked her sister.

"Oh, well she's straight and has a boyfriend named _Bradley._ What kind of a name is Bradley anyway?"

"Wow, grumpy much?" Lexa quipped.

"Shut up" Anya grumbled.

 

 

\------------------------------

 

 

Wow, okay when they said a party, they really meant a _party_. This was no small gathering. There were at least fifty people here, most of them whom they didn't even know. A ping-pong table had already been set in the backyard and a game of beerpong was currently occuring, both players relatively drunk. Music was blasting loudly through the speakers and Lexa was sure they would get a noise complaint before the end of the night. ** _Yup, this is going to be a long night,_ ** she thought as she stepped past the treshold of the kitchen to get beers for Clarke and herself.

She handed one to Clarke and took a shug of her own. She spotted Octavia coming their way and waved discreetly at the girl.

"Lexxaaa!" She slurred.

"How are you drunk already?" Clarke asked.

"Dunno" Octavia shrugged "Oh! A dartz game!" She exclaimed before stumbling towards people playing darts in a secluded area of the living room.

Clarke laughed, amused at her antics and took a sip of her beer, shaking her head.

"Wanna play pool?" Clarke asked, nodding towards the pool table. Lexa hesitated and Clarke batted her eyelashes.

"Pleaaase, Lexa. How about we make a bet? If I win, you tell me something I don't know about you" Clarke said.

"And what do I get if I win?" Lexa raised an eyebrow.

"I'll let you touch my boobs.." Clarke whispered in her ear.

"That's already something I can do whenever I want" Lexa argued.

"...without my shirt on" Clarke finished and Lexa spat a bit of the sip of beer she had just taken. She wiped at her mouth with her sleeve.

"I'm in" she said striding towards the table, "go easy on me, I have never played" she told Clarke.

Lexa paired up with Harper and Clarke went with Monroe. The blonde was pretty sure she would win that bet considering Lexa had never played before.

 

 

\------------------------------

 

 

Turns out Lexa was pretty damn good for someone who _claimed_ she had never played. Clarke had to bow to the evidence that she was going to lose that bet. She placed the pool stick on the table and grabbed Lexa's arm, pulling her away.

"You lied to me" Clarke accused, putting her index finger on Lexa's chest.

"Well, it worked, didn't it?" Lexa grinned smugly.

"I hate you" Clarke grumbled.

"No you don't" Lexa argued.

"Yes, I do"

"No, you don't"

"You're lucky you're cute" Clarke relented.

Lexa grinned and grabbed Clarke's hand, pulling her to the dancefloor. Clarke placed her hands on Lexa's waist and guided their movements just like she had during the Winter Ball. They swayed to [Shape of you by Ed Sheeran   
](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dK2tDK9grQ)

_"I'm in love with the shape of you"_ Clarke sang to Lexa

_"We push and pull like a magnet do"_ Lexa sang back.

Octavia pushed her way through the crowd and grabbed Clarke's arm.

"Oh my God, Clarke you gotta dance with us" she said pulling her towards the group she had formed with Harper and Monroe.

Clarke looked apologetically at Lexa and motioned for her to join them but Lexa shook her head and pointed at the backdoor, silently telling Clarke she would step outside for a bit. She wanted to get some fresh air because it was suffocatingly hot inside.

She stepped outside and immediately turned around to go back in when she saw Costia, a drink in hand, staring at the nightsky. Unfortunately for her, Costia had heard the door open and had noticed her presence.

"Lexa, wait please!" Costia exclaimed.

"And why would I do that?" Lexa crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"I really think you need to hear what I'm going to say"

"Whatever it is, I don't want to hear it"

"Please, it's important" Costia insisted.

"You have one minute"

"It'll take less than that"

"55 seconds" Lexa reminded her.

"Bellamy's plotting against you and your little girlfriend. Trying to break you up or some shit because his fragile male ego has been bruised that she chose you over him" she let out in one breath.

"And why should I believe you?"

"You're right. You have no reason to believe me. I've been nothing but shitty to you and there's no way I can ever make up for it. I just need you to trust that for once I'm doing something nice"

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"I'm not a good person, Lexa. But you are. And only a fool like Bellamy wouldn't see how happy you make Clarke. You're like soulmates or some cheesy shit like that. Anyways, I'm leaving the school when we come back tomorrow so you won't ever see me again. Ciao" Costia started walking away and stopped at the sound of Lexa's voice.

"Wait! Before you leave...." Lexa trailed off.

**_* SLAP *_ **

Costia held her cheek in slight shock that Lexa would do something like that, then to Lexa's surprise, she started laughing.

"Yup, deserved that" she simply said before walking away, leaving Lexa alone in the cold.

 

 

\-------------------------------

 

 

When she reentered the house, she was immediately grabbed by Octavia. The girl was everywhere tonight. As she was pulled into the kitchen by the younger girl, she caught a glimpse of Clarke dancing with Harper and Echo and smiled when she saw the grin on her girlfriend's face.

"Here, tryyy dis" Octavia slurred as she handed a cup to Lexa.

"What is it?"

"You'll see"

Lexa suspiciously took it and smelled its content. She scrunched up her nose at the strong scent of alcohol but drank it anyway. The burn of it made her scowl but it was pretty good. She asked for a refill and one drink soon turned into three.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

"Claarke, heyyy" a very intoxicated Lexa greeted her when she entered the kitchen.

She quickly placed both hands on Lexa's hips to steady her and the brunette giggled, claiming it was tickling her. Clarke shot a glare at Octavia.

"What did you make her drink?"

"Oh y'knoww jus' couple drinkz of Monty's moonshine" Octavia answered.

Clarke rolled her eyes. Looks like she was the only sober one here and would have to take care of everything. She made Lexa sit on a chair and found Monroe who, as a rule, never drinks. She asked her to make sure Octavia got back to the hotel safely while the blonde handled her drunk girlfriend. She found Lexa in the kitchen looking through the knife's drawer.

"Wow careful there" she quickly ran up to her and carefully made her release her grasp on the knife.

"Clarkeee, heyyy" Lexa repeated the words she had said a few minutes ago and smiled lazily at her girlfriend. The knife drawer which had piked her interest mere seconds ago was now forgotten.

"Hello, Lexa. I know you're having fun but I have to get you back to the hotel now" she gently pushed Lexa towards the exit.

"Noooo, wanna dance with you" Lexa slurred taking Clarke's hands and moving along the music with very uncoordinated movements.

"Okay maybe some other time, alright?" Clarke said, chuckling because Lexa was the adorable kind of drunk and Clarke was so glad she was witnessing this.

Lexa seemed to ponder the question then nodded. Clarke swung her left arm around Lexa's waist and put the girl's right arm over her shoulders, aiding her as they walked to the exit. Lots of people were passed out, others were making out in different parts of the house which was kinda gross to see. The cold wind smacked their faces as they stepped outside and Lexa buried her face in Clarke's neck.

"Mmm you smell good" Lexa whispered, her breath tickling Clarke's neck.

Lexa suddenly stopped walking and Clarke looked at her to see what was wrong. Lexa clumsily stepped in front of Clarke and let out a breath.

"Wowww" she breathed out.

"What?" Clarke asked.

"Woww" Lexa repeated as she caressed Clarke's face.

"What, Lex?" Clarke laughed.

"You're soooo prettyy" Lexa let out, looking at Clarke in awe.

"Thank you, Lexa" Clarke chuckled.

"Nooo but like suuuper pretty" Lexa insisted.

"You're very pretty too, baby" Clarke answered and Lexa started giggling.

"What is it?"

"I have a prettyy girlfrienddd" Lexa giggled again, "wait...." Lexa scrunched up her eyebrows in deep thought, "does it mean I can kiss you?" She asked, her eyes widening at the realization.

"If I kiss you, will you let me take you back to the hotel?" Clarke raised an eyebrow and Lexa enthusiastically nodded.

Clarke placed a quick kiss on Lexa's puckered lips and the brunette smiled contentedly. She let Clarke lead her to her car but kept talking nonetheless.

"Your lipsss are soooo soft" she slurred "sooo soft" she repeated in a whisper, "Hey, Clarke?"

"Yeah?"

Lexa started giggling and whatever she was about to say was long forgotten as she started repeating Clarke's name over and over again.

"Clarke. Clarkkke, Claaaaarkke, Claarke. Clarke. I love your name. Claaarke"

She unsteadily got down on one knee and pulled out a candy ring from her pocket _-why she had that in her pocket is a mistery-_ holding it up between her thumb and index finger for Clarke to see.

"Will you marry meee, Clarke Griffin?" She asked with hopeful eyes.

Clarke knew Lexa was drunkenly speaking but her heart still skipped a beat at the question. She smiled and crouched down to be at Lexa's eye-level. She cradled Lexa's face and brushed her thumbs on her cheeks.

"How about you ask me again when you're sober?" Clarke suggested.

Lexa thought it over for a bit then nodded in agreement. Clarke grinned and kissed her lips again, making Lexa giggled when she pulled away.

"I'm soooo lucky, y'know whyy?"

"Tell me" Clarke encouraged her.

"Coz my girlfriend is sooo prettyyy"

Clarke laughed and pulled her up to her feet, walking the remaining distance to her car. The car ride was anything but silent. Lexa kept playing with the radio, changing the radio station every ten seconds. She also rolled down the window and started waving at random people in the street. Clarke was highly amused and promised herself to thank Octavia because seeing this side of Lexa was priceless. If Lexa was adorable before, she was even more now.

She parked the car in the hotel's underground parking and led Lexa to the elevator. Once they were on the right floor, she searched for the room's keycard in Lexa's pockets.

"Not here Claaarkkee. People couuuld see us" Lexa whispered loudly.

Clarke finally found the keycard and used it to get access to the room. No one was inside and Clarke figured Octavia was sleeping in Monroe and Harper's room. She led Lexa to her room and instructed her to sit on the bed. Lexa complied and whined when Clarke walked out of the room. Clarke came back with a glass of water and some medication tablets for the headache Lexa would surely have in the morning. She placed them both on the bedside table and turned to see Lexa with tears rolling down her cheeks. She sprung into action immediately.

"What's wrong?" She climbed on the bed and took Lexa's hands in hers.

"I thought you were gone forever" Lexa sobbed.

"I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere"

Lexa's whole demeanour changed and a bright smile now adorned her face. She started getting into bed.

"Wait, you have to get changed first"

"No" Lexa crossed her arms in front of her chest after slipping under the covers, like a petulant child.

"Come on, Lexa. If you sleep in such uncomfortable clothes, you'll regret it in the morning. Trust me"

Lexa still didn't budge.

"I'll kiss you if you do as I say" Clarke said.

Lexa sat up and discarded her shirt. She looked at Clarke and pointed at her own lips, raising an eyebrow.

"Not yet" Clarke said as she pulled off her shoes and unbuttoned Lexa's jeans to pull them down her legs while the brunette giggled.

Clarke went into the closet to retrieve a shirt and some sleeping shorts. When she turned back around, Lexa was smiling up at her. Clarke helped her in the shorts and put the shirt on the brunette, then as promised, she bent down and left a brief kiss on Lexa's lips. She made her drink some water, then she got changed herself and joined Lexa under the covers.

"Too bad, you won't be able to collect your reward from the bet we made earlier" Clarke whispered. _That_ , Lexa seemed to remember clearly.

"Wait noo, I can do it" she stated confidently before struggling to find the hem of Clarke's shirt, "Clarke, your shirt won't let me in" she pouted.

"Alright, Casanova, let's just sleep" Clarke chuckled and pressed a kiss on Lexa's nose.

A few minutes later, Clarke felt a hand slip under her shirt, brush over her skin and grab one of her boobs, giving it a light squeeze.

"The reward is mine" Lexa whispered before falling asleep.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a project for school in which I have to explain why homophobia in the USA doesn't respect the human rights article that says each human being has the right to liberty and security. So if any of you feel like ranting about it in my DMs, my twitter is @benemlmns


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Spanish teacher is too lazy to bother showing up at school which means I've had a few hours on my hands so here is chapter 24 :) it's filled with fluff and only fluff

 

 

"Lexa, come out of the bathroom" Clarke called.

"I can't. This is so embarrassing. I remember every single thing, Clarke" Lexa's muffled answer came from the other side of the door.

"It wasn't that bad" Clarke tried.

"I asked you to marry me with a candy ring, for Christ's sake!" Lexa threw both arms in the air.

"I thought it was cute" Clarke shrugged, "now would you please open the door?"

There was a moment of silence then Clarke heard the soft click of the door unlocking. She slowly pushed the door open and found Lexa on the floor of the bathroom, her knees pulled up to her chest and her hands covering her face to hide the blush that had crept its way to her cheeks.

Clarke pried her hands away from her face and brushed her thumbs over her knuckles. Lexa thought she was going to reassure her that there was nothing to feel embarrassed about but instead, the blonde started giggling.

"I'm sorry...sorry" she said through her laughter "I just remembered when you tried to-" she stopped to catch her breath "when you tried to grab my boob but you couldn't- you couldn't even get past my shirt" she said, letting out a full-blown laugh.

"Claaaarke" Lexa whined, slapping her shoulder.

"And remember when you-"

"Claaaaarke" Lexa buried her face in her hands.

"Alright, I'll stop, I'll stop" Clarke said, wiping at a few tears.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

"There's something I need to tell you" Lexa whispered when they were back on the bed.

"What is it?"

"Before I got completely smashed and started acting like an idiot-"

"You were adorable" Clarke interrupted.

" _Before all of this_ " Lexa continued, blushing at Clarke's comment, "Costia told me something"

Clarke's playfulness switched to protectiveness at this.

"Are you okay? Why didn't you tell me? Did she do someth-"

"I'm fine, I'm fine" Lexa grabbed both of her hands to still the blonde.

Clarke nodded and kept quiet to listen to her girlfriend.

"She warned me about Bellamy. Something about him trying to break us up" Lexa revealed.

"And you believe her?" Clarke asked. She was reluctant to trust Costia.

"She doesn't really have a reason to lie" Lexa shrugged, "besides, Bellamy has had a crush on you for so long. It kinda makes sense when you think about his recent behaviour"

"Yeah, I guess" Clarke furrowed her brows in thought, "what can we do about it?"

"Right now? Nothing. We won't give him the satisfaction to know that he has gotten to us"

"What if he tries to do something?" Clarke was slightly scared of what he was capable of.

"If he tries anything, I'll be the first to get a restraining order against him. Now, I just want to cuddle with my beautiful girlfriend" Lexa said, extending her arms so Clarke could snuggle up to her.

"We have to leave the hotel in twenty minutes" Clarke reminded her as she settled on Lexa's chest

"Good, that leaves us about eighteen minutes to cuddle" Lexa wrapped her arms around the blonde and stroked her back, sliding her fingers along her spine.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

"You have everything?" Clarke asked from where she was standing outside the door.

"Yeah, I think so" Lexa nodded.

"Happy to go back home?"

"God yes" Lexa threw her head back a bit, "I can't wait to have my bed back. And your bed. With you on it preferably"

Clarke laughed and grabbed Lexa's hand _-the one in which she wasn't holding her suitcase-_ leading her downstairs to the car. Lexa had decided to drive with the Griffins instead of joining the team in the bus that had taken them here a few weeks ago. _Traitor,_ Octavia had jokingly said.

Abby got behind the wheel with Jake in the passenger seat, leaving both girls and Aden in the backseat. Anya and Indra had used their own car to get there.

Aden settled on Lexa's lap, demanding that she holds him for the duration of the drive home. Lexa had happily obliged and was now struggling to keep Aden from squirming on her lap as he kept reaching for Clarke's hair to play with it. Jake had turned on the radio which didn't help Lexa as Aden started bouncing along to the music. She couldn't help but laugh with him as he excitedly moved his arms around.

Both of Lexa's arms were secured around Aden's waist. Clarke reached for one of them and pried it away from Aden's body so she could link her fingers with Lexa's. Lexa brought their joined hands to her lips and kissed the back of Clarke's hand, lingering for a couple seconds. A warm feeling spread through Clarke's heart at the action. As for Aden, he was now shouting at Lexa to dance with him.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

"Lessa?" Aden shyly said.

"Yes, Aden?"

"I have to pee" he said, his voice barely above a whisper to which Lexa nodded.

"Don't be afraid to ask" she stroked his cheek before informing Abby of the situation. Abby agreed to stop at the next rest area. They had to get something to eat anyway.

They stopped at a small restaurant and Clarke and Lexa headed towards the bathroom with Aden while Jake and Abby picked a table. Lexa went into the cubicle with the boy while Clarke stayed outside, playing on her phone.

"Are you seriously playing _Piano Tiles_ right now? You've been playing it for the whole drive" Lexa asked, recognising the music.

"It's addictive!" Clarke defended herself.

Lexa flushed the toilet once Aden was done and took the phone from Clarke's hands when she walked out of the bathroom stall.

"Lexaaa, give it back!" Clarke exclaimed, trying to get her phone back but Lexa was holding it in the air, out of the blonde's reach.

Aden was giggling at the scene and Lexa quickly winked at him. Clarke tried to take advantage of that small moment of inadvertence to try to grab her phone but Lexa quickly raised her arm higher.

"Why are you so tall?" Clarke huffed and dropped her arms to her sides, giving up on catching her phone.

Lexa pecked her lips and put the device in her back pocket before bending down to pick up Aden so he could wash his hands. Clarke snuck up behind Lexa and slowly pulled her phone out of Lexa's pocket without her realising it. She opened the app of the game she was previously busy on. Lexa's head snapped up as soon as Clarke hit the first note.

"Clarke, I swear this music is driving me crazy"

Clarke laughed and ran out of the bathroom. Lexa crouched down so Aden could climb on her back, his small arms wrapping around her neck. She then chased the blonde in the restaurant, Aden giggling as each step she took made him bounce on her back.

She spotted Abby and Jake sitting at a table and lowered Aden on a chair next to them, shooting them a quick _'sorry'_ before darting out of the restaurant, running through the exit just like she had seen Clarke do a few seconds before. She caught sight of Clarke a good twenty feet away from her and sprinted after her, the blonde's laughter sounding like music to her ears.

Despite the blonde's efforts, Lexa was quickly catching up to her. Lexa wrapped both arms around her to stop her from running and Clarke relaxed in her arms.

"Got you" Lexa whispered breathlessly in her ear, making Clarke shiver, "are you cold?" Lexa asked.

Clarke shook her head and turned in Lexa's embrace. She put her phone away and placed both arms over the brunette's shoulders. She then leaned forward and brushed her lips against Lexa's. The brunette reciprocated while keeping the kiss chaste.

"Let's go back inside" Clarke whispered.

Lexa nodded and pecked Clarke's lips before moving back inside the restaurant, ignoring Jake and Abby's questioning eyes.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

There was a small playground next to the restaurant and Jake knew that he wouldn't be able to refuse Aden anything so it was evident that when the boy asked to go on the slide, Jake's answer was a resounding _yes_.

About thirty minutes later, they were deep into a game of hide and seek.

"Lexa! This is my hiding spot, go find yourself another" Clarke whispered when Lexa squeezed herself in the small space under the slide.

There wasn't much room for the two of them so they had to remain pressed against each other.

"All things considered, this isn't so bad" Clarke said, sliding her hands under Lexa's shirt.

"Clarke!" Lexa jumped up in surprise, "your hands are cold" she whispered.

"I know a way to warm them up" Clarke wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh my god Clarke" Lexa covered her face with both hands.

"What? I'm just kiddi-"

"Quiet" Lexa said, placing her hand on Clarke's mouth when she heard light footsteps coming their way, paired with the unmistakable sound of Aden's laughter.

"You're no fun" Clarke mumbled against her hand before licking it. Lexa quickly retracted her hand.

"Clarke, that's gross" Lexa wiped her hand on her jeans and Clarke grinned cheekily.

"Found you!" Aden yelled and pointed at the two of them, a big smile adorning his face.

Aden had found Jake from the very beginning. The man was 'hidden' behind a swing. _**He really doesn't know how to find a good hiding spot,**_ Clarke shook her head at him.

They played a few more rounds before getting back on the road. Lexa was pretty tired and Clarke offered to hold Aden this time so the brunette could sleep.

"Thanks, love" Lexa murmured sleepily before falling asleep.

The term of endearment didn't go unnoticed by Jake and Abby who smiled upon hearing it while Clarke's heart grew twice its size at the word.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

"I'm so hungry" Clarke complained.

"Clarke, we've just eaten an hour and a half ago" her mom reminded her.

"But I'm hungry" Clarke argued weakly.

Lexa looked through her backpack and retrieved a chocolate bar.

"Here" she handed it to Clarke.

"Oh my God, I love you" the blonde said.

She left a quick kiss on Lexa's lips then hurried to unwrap the chocolate bar and bite down on it, taking a big chunk of it.

"This is the best thing I've ever eaten" Clarke said through bites.

Lexa laughed and with her thumb, she wiped a bit of chocolate that had ended up on Clarke's chin before licking her thumb clean. Clarke stared at her lips for a few seconds before shaking herself out of whatever trance she had been stuck into.

She finished her chocolate bar and pulled out her sketchbook to keep herself busy. She started sketching Lexa without her knowing while the brunette played with Aden, bouncing him on her knees every so often. She traced delicate lines and sharp angles with her pencil. She wanted to put some color to the drawing but her color pencils were in the back so she would have to settle for a simple grey pencil that, in Clarke's opinion, did no justice to Lexa's beautiful eyes.

After a few minutes, Lexa caught on what she was doing and shyly ducked her face in an attempt to hide it. Clarke grabbed her chin and tilted it up, revealing Lexa's face.

"You're beautiful" she simply said before focusing back on her drawing, perfecting it. Although, if you ask Clarke, not even the best artist in the world would be able to properly capture Lexa's beauty.

She was adding the last few touches on her drawing when she felt a small hand on her wrist, lightly tugging at it.

"Can I see?" Aden asked, looking up at her.

"Of course, buddy" Clarke said as she took Aden from Lexa's arms and placed him on her lap, buckling the seatbelt so that it was protecting the both of them, much like Lexa had done previously.

"And can I see?" Lexa asked as well.

"No" Clarke replied, trapping her tongue between her teeth as she grinned.

Lexa slumped back on her seat and pouted. Clarke leaned forward to kiss her pout away.

"You'll see it soon" she promised.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

"Clarke, it's beautiful" Lexa said, admiring Clarke's drawing.

"Well, you are beautiful so.." Clarke trailed off.

"Can I keep it?" Lexa asked.

"Of course you can"

"Thank you" Lexa pecked her lips then went back to staring at the drawing.

"I want one too!" Aden exclaimed, craning his neck to look at Clarke.

"Alright, alright" Clarke said.

She lifted Aden and put him on Lexa's lap.

The boy was much more difficult to draw because he was constantly moving. Therefore, it took a bit longer and Aden grew impatient, asking every two minutes if it was over. Finally, Clarke drew the last few lines and slid the drawing on Aden's lap. The boy looked at it inquisitively at first then let out a squeal of joy, repeatingly tracing his fingers over the lines. Clarke felt happy that one of her drawings was the source of the boy's happiness and when she looked up, she saw Lexa stare back at her with so much love in her eyes. Lexa mouthed _'I love you'_ and Clarke intertwined their fingers.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

"Finally" Lexa said as she dropped on her bed and closed her eyes.

The brunette let out a _'oompf'_ when a body landed heavily on her. She opened her eyes and saw Clarke's face mere inches from hers.

"I'm glad you're back. It was lonely without you at school" the blonde admitted.

"I'm glad I'm back too" Lexa smiled softly at her and craned her neck to press a kiss to the tip of the blonde's nose.

"And I freaking love your pillows" Clarke added as she rolled off of Lexa's body and buried her face in the pillows, "they're so soft and fluffy" she said, her voice muffled by the pillows.

"So you only like me for my pillows, huh?" Lexa raised an eyebrow.

"Yep" Clarke grinned as she answered. Lexa feigned offense and slapped her arm lightly.

Lexa straddled her and started tickling her sides. Clarke kept laughing as she begged Lexa to stop and Lexa's movements faltered because the blonde's laughter had to be her favorite sound in the world. Clarke took advantage of that second of hesitation to trap her leg behind Lexa's knee and switch their positions so that she was the one straddling Lexa. Lexa could only watch as Clarke's hands moved under her shirt and traced circles on her stomach.

Clarke lowered the upper part of her body and ghosted her lips over Lexa's. The brunette tilted her head to connect their lips but Clarke pulled away, denying her the contact. Lexa huffed and slumped on the bed. Clarke smirked at her and moved her hands a bit higher, grazing Lexa's bra.

She moved her hands behind Lexa's back and the brunette got the message and lifted her back from the bed so Clarke could unclasp her bra. Once the piece of clothing was gone, Clarke brought her hands back to Lexa's torso and fondled her breasts, only letting go of them for a couple seconds when Lexa took the hem of Clarke's shirt in her hands and lifted it over the blonde's head. Lexa then reached behind Clarke and after getting a nod of consent from her, she unclasped her bra and threw it across the room.

Clarke motioned for her to sit up and took the brunette's shirt off as well. She lowered herself again and Lexa let out a moan at the feeling of their chests brushing together. Clarke quickly covered her mouth.

"Quiet, your mom is downstairs and although we're not having sex, I'm not sure she'll be happy to see her daughter making out with someone while half naked" Clarke whispered.

Lexa nodded and Clarke left a trail of kisses down her neck. Her lips stopped their descent on Lexa's collarbone and she nipped at it, leaving faint marks.

They heard the door opening and a yell echoed in the room

"MY EYES!!" Anya covered her eyes quickly.

Lexa and Clarke rapidly separated and Lexa moved in front of Clarke to cover her with her body, leaving herself exposed.

Clarke reached for their shirts and handed Lexa hers. They both quickly put them on and looked up to see Anya facing away from them, her hands still clasped tightly over her eyes.

"Are you decent?" Anya asked, hesitantly peeking through her fingers.

"Yes" Lexa answered, willing her cheeks to stop reddening. Clarke wasn't faring much better as her face had turned a bright shade of red.

"Mom said that dinner's ready but you weren't replying. I guess I know why now"

"We'll be down in a minute" Lexa said, not daring to look at her sister in the eyes.

"I'm scarred for life" Anya muttered as she left the room.

"Well, that wasn't awkward" Clarke ironically said.

"More like mortifying" Lexa mumbled under her breath.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

As predicted, during the dinner Anya kept the eye contact to a minimal while Clarke and Lexa ate in mostly silence, occasionally conversing with Indra who seemed oblivious to the awkwardness of the moment. They silently cleared the table and washed the few dishes.

"For the love of God, next time, lock the damn door. And you" Anya pointed an accusing finger at Clarke, "my sister is pure. It better stay that way" she said, walking away.

"I'm not that pure" Lexa argued but was silenced by a glare from Anya who then proceeded to leave.

"Don't worry, she's all bark but no bite. It was probably just a bit of a shock for her" Lexa reassured the blonde.

"More like mortifying" Anya grumpily called from the stairs, repeating Lexa's earlier words.

"I'm gonna go" Clarke announced.

"I'll walk you back" Lexa said.

"No need. Get some rest, baby" Clarke pressed a kiss to her lips before leaving.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

Later that night, Lexa was woken by a knock on her bedroom window, several knocks actually. She squinted her eyes to get accustomed to the darkness and jumped into action when she recognised Clarke, crouching on a branch of the tree by her window. She quickly got out of bed and pulled the window open, allowing Clarke to enter the room.

"Clarke! What are you doing!?" Lexa hissed.

"Coming to see you" Clarke answered as if it was obvious.

"By climbing the fucking tree?!"

"Well, yeah" Clarke shrugged.

"You could've gotten hurt!" Lexa exclaimed.

"Yeah but it was way more romantic to do it like that" Clarke grinned smugly.

"I can't believe you" Lexa threw her arms in the air.

"Did you like it?"

"It was dangerous and extremely reckless" Lexa avoided the question.

"Yeah but you totally loved it, admit it"

"Fine, yes it was very romantic and I love you but _please_ don't ever do that again. I almost had a heart attack"

Clarke's eyes softened when she realised that her little trick had genuinely scared her girlfriend.

"Alright, I won't" she promised.

Lexa lent her some clothes to sleep in and they slipped in the bed together. Clarke pressed her front against Lexa's back and wrapped her arms around the brunette.

"Why are you here anyways?" Lexa whispered, turning in the embrace to face Clarke.

Clarke grabbed one of Lexa's hands and played with her fingers, brushing her own fingers against them. She pressed a kiss to each finger then looked up at her girlfriend who was still waiting for her answer.

"You know, those two weeks sleeping alone while you were away were awful and somehow, I could never manage to get a goodnight sleep. Something was missing. _You_ were missing. And I was about to go to sleep tonight and this feeling of missing something came back. It just made me realise that I don't want to sleep without you. Ever"

Lexa moved her head closer to Clarke's. Their noses brushed together and Lexa closed the remaining distance between their lips. She slipped one arm around Clarke's waist and pulled her closer. The blonde let out a yelp of surprise at the sudden movement and Lexa laughed quietly. Her laughter was cut short when warm lips pressed against hers.

When they broke the kiss, Clarke snuggled closer to Lexa and rested her head on her chest. The sound of Lexa's steady heartbeat lulling her to sleep.

"Goodnight, Lexa"

"Goodnight, Clarke"

 

 


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter is a bit darker than usual because it was necessary to further move the plot revolving around Bellamy  
> TW : attempted rape (nothing too graphic but I prefer to put a warning just in case) If you don't want to read it, you can skip the first half of the first scene  
> I haven't had time to readproof it so there might be a few mistakes

 

 

Clarke was walking back home after spending the entirety of the weekend at Lexa's. It was pretty dark because it was getting late, the only source of light being the dim light from the few lampposts placed on both sides of the street.

A shadow appeared from behind Clarke and she found herself being pulled into a dark alley. She struggled against strong arms to no avail. She managed to grab hold of the assaulter's hood. She tugged on it and it revealed a face she knew all too well.

"Bellamy?!"

This was exactly what she had been afraid of. She knew he would try something but she didn't think he would go as far as assaulting her in the middle of the street.

Bellamy sighed as his cover was blown but that didn't make him stop. He pushed her against the wall and grabbed her wrists, trapping them over her head, then he pressed his body against hers. She tried to free her arms but his grip was too strong.

"Let go of me!" She yelled.

"We were always supposed to be together" he said, "the two leaders of the group, getting married, living in the suburbs with our friends, having kids" he listed off "that _dyke_ can't give you kids. _I CAN!_ " he shouted in her face, some spit landing on it.

"You're hurting me" she whimpered.

"Shut up! You don't know how much _YOU_ hurt _ME!!_ " He let go of her wrists and punched her, sending her to the ground.

Clarke's vision got blurry with tears and she barely registered the sound of his zipper being pulled down before he forcefully spread her legs. She tried kicking him and he slapped her with the back of his hand to keep her still. He then put both hands on her upperarms, trapping her against the cold ground.

Clarke progressively felt her strength leave her body. Tears were rolling down her cheeks in a seemingly endless flow and her screams were losing in volume.

"Help" she called, her voice cracking.

"No one's going to help you" he said, while sliding his hand up her skirt.

A familiar voice echoed in the alley and suddenly the contact of his hand with her thigh disappeared. Clarke was able to move her arms again but she remained motionless, all her energy having been drained. She felt numb.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Lexa wasn't supposed to wander through the streets this late but she thanked every Gods to existence that Clarke forgot her sweatshirt at her place, resulting in Lexa chasing after the blonde.

She was at the corner of the street when she heard the faint screams. They weren't very loud but in the silence of the night, they could be heard clearly. She would recognise that voice anywhere. **_Clarke._ **

Lexa set off on a run, listening intently to locate the source of the sound. When she stepped into the alley, she saw Bellamy leaning over Clarke, his hand hiking higher and higher up her skirt. She dropped the sweatshirt and jumped at him, pushing him off of Clarke in a rapid movement. Her heart broke as she watched Clarke lying powerless on the concrete.

Her one second of inattention gave Bellamy the chance to run away. If she had run after him, she would've easily caught him but no way was she leaving Clarke alone.

"I'm coming after you!" She yelled at Bellamy's retreating figure, "you're dead, Bellamy!! You're so fucking dead!"

She placed a hand behind Clarke's back and gently helped her sit up. She wrapped Clarke in her arms and could feel her shaking. Clarke didn't reciprocate the hug. She couldn't. She was still stuck in a state of shock. Her eyes were empty and she looked straight ahead of her. Not even Lexa's warm hands on her cheeks could break her out of her trance.

Lexa lifted her up to carry her bridal style and realised Clarke had fallen asleep. She started running as quickly as she could. The brunette had decided to go to the blonde's house because it was closer and she needed to speak with Clarke's parents.

Indra was a lawyer and a damn good at that. Lexa would personally make sure Bellamy Blake rots in a prison cell for many, many years. How stupid of him to pull that shit two weeks after he turned eighteen, making it legal to send him to jail.

Lexa ignored the tears rolling down her own cheeks and focused on getting Clarke back home as quickly as possible. She frantically knocked on the Griffin's door, praying they were still awake. Jake opened the door and his surprise at seeing Lexa turned to deep concern when he saw his daughter in her arms, a forming bruise on her left cheek and a red mark on her right cheek, undoubtedly caused by the hard slap of a hand against it. His eyes brimmed with tears and he ushered Lexa in. They lay Clarke on the couch and crouched beside her. Jake's hand went to caress his daughter's cheek.

"What happened?" He asked, scared of the answer, as he stroked his daughter's hair.

Abby descended the stairs and ran up to her daughter as soon as she saw the state she was in. Lexa told them what happened, well everything that happened after she showed up and both were crying by the end of it.

Abby went in the kitchen to retrieve some ice for Clarke's bruise while Lexa and Jake went in the hallway to talk.

"I want him dead" Jake said and Lexa could tell he very much meant that.

"So do I but we can't do anything reckless like that"

"She's my daughter! Do you expect me to just stand there and do nothing?!" Jake took his anger out on Lexa.

"Don't you think I want to kill him too? I love her and he-he fucking-" her voice cracked and she found herself unable to finish her sentence, "we can't" she said, taking a big breath.

"I know" Jake sighed, "I'm sorry, Lexa. I just- I got so scared and-"

"It's okay, I get it" Lexa reassured him.

"Come here" he pulled her in her arms and she broke into sobs.

Abby cancelled her shift at the hospital so she could be there should Clarke need anything. Jake put on his jacket and left the house too quickly for anyone to stop him.

"Please don't do something stupid!" Abby yelled after him but he was already decidedly getting into his car. _No one_ touches his daughter if she hasn't given her consent.

Abby kissed the crown of Clarke's head and went back upstairs after about thirty minutes. She knew she could trust Lexa to take care of Clarke.

Lexa sat on her knees beside the couch and brushed away a few strands of hair that were covering the blonde's eyes then bent down to press a kiss to her forehead.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry I wasn't there earlier...I'm sorry I couldn't prevent it...I'm so sorry" Lexa gripped Clarke's shirt and placed her face on Clarke's stomach.

"It's not your fault" Clarke said in a weak voice before sitting up. Lexa placed a hand on the small of her back and rubbed circles there with her thumb.

"Are you okay?" Lexa asked and immediately berated herself for asking such a stupid question. ** _Of course she's not okay, dumbass._**

Clarke started crying and Lexa quickly took her in her arms, placing her hand behind the blonde's head to stroke her head soothingly.

"I was so sc-scared" Clarke's voice cracked on the last word.

"You're okay, you're okay" Lexa rocked their bodies back and forth while repeating those words like a mantra to reassure Clarke but also to remind herself that Clarke was safe, that nothing could happen to her anymore.

The moment she had seen Clarke laying powerless on the ground while Bellamy was trying to take advantage of her, everything around her faded. In the split second it took her to run towards Clarke, all sounds had been muted. Her blood had run cold and fear had settled in her chest.

 ** _What if I hadn't been there? What if he had been able to go through with it? What if I hadn't been able to protect Clarke?_**   She couldn't help but think. She shook those dark thoughts away from her mind because Clarke was here and the blonde needed her. Lexa needed to be the strong one for Clarke. She couldn't allow herself to break down now.

Clarke clung tightly to Lexa's shirt until her sobs subsided a few minutes later. Lexa looked down at her and saw that she had fallen back asleep. She looked peaceful while she slept. And it almost looked as though none of this happened. But it did. And Lexa had to make absolutely sure it would never happen again. _No one_ touches her girlfriend if she hasn't given her consent.

She pulled out her phone and dialed her mother's number. Her mother picked up after the second ring.

 _"Is there something wrong?"_ Indra immediately asked because Lexa almost only called her when something was wrong.

"I need your help" Lexa whispered so she wouldn't wake her girlfriend who was sleeping soundly on her chest.

She recounted the recent events to her mom and Indra told her she would do everything in her power to get justice for Clarke. Lexa thanked her and ended the call, putting her phone back on the coffee table. She brought her left hand to run her fingers through Clarke's hair.

Clarke snuggled closer to her in her sleep and Lexa wrapped her arms around her sleeping form.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

Lexa didn't know when she had fallen asleep. She looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand and noticed she had only slept a couple hours.

She was fairly certain that Clarke had been beside her when she fell asleep. Looking around now, though, she couldn't see the blonde anywhere. She went upstairs and heard a sniff coming from the bathroom door, down the hall. She opened it and found Clarke in front of the mirror. She had put up her hair in a messy bun and was looking at the bruise on her cheek with an expression of disgust.

Clarke still hadn't noticed her presence and Lexa carefully walked towards her and hugged her from behind, slipping her arms around the girl's waist. Clarke flinched a bit at the contact and Lexa was considering pulling away when she felt Clarke's body start to relax. Lexa dropped her head in Clarke's neck and peppered it with small kisses. Lexa's lips then moved to press against the nape of her neck.

"You shouldn't want to touch me" Clarke murmured still looking at the bruise, tears forming in her eyes, "I feel so gross"

"You're beautiful" Lexa truthfully said, "and so strong" she whispered in her hair before leaving a kiss on her head.

"I'm not" Clarke argued, "I couldn't- I couldn't do anything. He was there and I just- I felt so powerless" Clarke quickly wiped at a few tears and Lexa tightened her arms around her waist.

Her hands found the hem of Clarke's shirt and slipped inside to caress the girl's stomach.

"You're strong" Lexa reiterated.

Clarke shook her head, refusing to believe it. How could Lexa think she was strong when she herself felt so weak and scared?

"I'm not. If I were strong I wouldn't- I wouldn't be standing here crying. I'm so weak" Clarke's shoulders slumped.

"You're strong. Showing your emotions doesn't make you weak. It makes you _human._ It shows that everyone has their limits and that you can't be brave all the time. Giving up is what makes you weak. But you're still standing, you're still here. And you are so incredibly strong. I need you to believe that" Clarke nodded and turned in Lexa's embrace.

The brunette's arms immediately went up to wrap around Clarke's shoulders, holding her tight against her body, providing the comfort the blonde needed right now.

"Thank you" Clarke whispered in her neck, "I love you"

"I love you too. So much" Lexa cupped her cheeks and placed a delicate kiss on her forehead, lingering for a few seconds.

Lexa led them to Clarke's bedroom and settled on the bed, gently prompting Clarke to lie on her chest.

They were supposed to go back to school tomorrow but Lexa had already decided she would stay with Clarke. Lexa had always been a stickler for rules but when it comes to Clarke, she's willing to break every rules if it insure the blonde's safety and happiness.

They heard the front door open and knew that meant Jake was back. He stomped upstairs to check on Clarke. Neither girls needed to ask him where he went nor why he went there. His bloodied knuckles were evidence enough. Lexa wouldn't hold it against him because if she hadn't stayed to take care of her girlfriend, she would have done the exact same thing.

 

 

_\---A few hours ago---_

 

 

Jake drove down the streets, clutching the steering wheel tightly, blinded by his growing rage. He was by nature a calm and easy-going person but having Clarke as his daughter was the most amazing thing that had ever happened to him. She was a beautiful, intelligent and kind-hearted woman. He always had this overflowing feeling of pride seeping into his chest whenever he introduced her as his daughter.

Lexa, on the other hand, was the daughter he hadn't expected. The one that stumbled into their life out of nowhere and brightened it. She was the reason Clarke smiled everyday and Jake would never be able to express enough how grateful he is to her. He could tell when he saw the expression on the brunette's face that she wanted to kill Bellamy just as much as he did. He also knew that the only reason he allowed himself to leave the house now was because he knew he could trust Lexa with his daughter. Clarke had found the one and he could only hope she would never let go of Lexa.

He stopped at the Blake's household but they told him they hadn't seen him for two days. Before Jake left, Octavia grabbed his arm and asked him to tell her what happened. He had been hesitant at first, not knowing if Clarke would be comfortable with Octavia knowing the details but he also knew that the younger girl had been trying really hard to rekindle her friendship with Clarke. When he finished telling her, Octavia was seeing red and she swore to him that if she saw her brother again, she would personally make sure he regrets the day he was born.

It took him a few hours but eventually, Jake spotted Bellamy's figure lurking outside a local bar. He got out of the car and quietly closed the car door behind him, making sure Bellamy hadn't noticed his presence. He wasn't sure Bellamy wouldn't be able to outrun him should he realize Jake was here. The effect of surprise was a trick that always worked.

He sneaked up on Bellamy from behind and tugged harshly on the collar of his shirt, pulling him away from the bar's entrance so that no one could see them. He brutally shoved the boy against the nearest wall before stomping towards him and he watched as the boy's eyes widened with the realisation of who was now standing in front of him.

"Mr Griffin, I- I swear I didn't-"

His sentence was cut off when a fist collided with his jaw.

"Don't you dare lay a hand on my daughter ever again" Jake spat before punching Bellamy again with impressive strength, in the nose this time. Bellamy stumbled back and barely had time to recover from the hit before another blow was thrown to his jaw, making him fall ungraciously to the ground.

"Stay. Away. From. My. Daughter" Jake punctuated each word with a punch.

Before leaving, Jake took one last look at the boy and fixed him with a glare as he spoke his next words.

"And just in case that wasn't clear, I will get justice for my daughter. By all means necessary. This is only the beginning"

With that, he walked back to his car and drove away, leaving Bellamy agonising pathetically on the cold pavement.

 

 

_\---Present time---_

 

 

Lexa's phone vibrated with a new text message.

 

**_Octavia - 2.10 AM_ **

_**Is Clarke okay? I've just heard what happened and I'm so sorry** _

 

Lexa showed the message to Clarke and the blonde motioned for her to hand her the phone. Once she had the device in her hands, she started typing a reply.

 

**_Lexa - 2.12 AM_ **

**_Hey, this is Clarke. I'm okay, I guess. It's not your fault. You shouldn't be apologizing_ **

 

**_Octavia - 2.13 AM_ **

**_Still. As much as I hate it, he's my brother and I feel responsible for the shit he does. I want you to know that I won't hesitate to testify against him if you decide to press charges (which you should totally do)_ **

 

**_Lexa - 2.15 AM_ **

**_Thank you, O -Clarke_ **

 

_**Lexa - 2.15 AM** _

_**We appreciate it -Lexa** _

 

_**Octavia - 2.16 AM** _

_**Of course** _

 

"I want to press charges" Clarke blurted out.

"Okay" Lexa nodded, "I already called my mom and she's the best lawyer in town. I have no doubt justice will be served"

Clarke nodded. She dropped her head on Lexa's shoulder and sighed heavily.

She was tired and it didn't escape her understanding that a trial against Bellamy would take up a lot of her time and energy. But she needed to do it. She needed to do it because she didn't know how else she could ever feel safe again. She needed to do it if she wanted to be able to move on.

 

 

\--------------------------

 

 

Over the next few days, charges had been pressed and Clarke had been called into the police station to give her testimony. Recalling the events that haunted not only her days but also her nights, through several similar nightmares, was not an easy task.

Lexa hadn't been allowed to enter the room with Clarke but Indra being in there with her as her laywer was a reassuring thought. It would definitely help Clarke to have someone she knows beside her in those hard times and if Lexa couldn't be there, she was glad her mother was.

The door opened and Clarke got out, accompanied by Indra and an officer. Clarke was looking straight ahead, her eyes a bit red. ** _From crying,_ ** Lexa guessed. The brunette instantly ran up to her and cradled her in her arms.

"Are you okay?" Clarke nodded against her shoulder but Lexa could still feel her trembling in her arms.

Clarke brought both arms to wrap around Lexa's waist, clutching tightly at her shirt as if Lexa would disappear if she didn't. The brunette could feel her sweatshirt getting wet from Clarke's tears as the blonde silently cried.

"Let's get you home, okay?" Lexa whispered and once again, Clarke nodded.

 

 

\--------------------------

 

 

_His threatening figure was leaning over me as an invisible force kept me trapped on the ground. His foot came in contact with my ribs. Once. Twice._

_He crouched next to me and his hand violently grabbed my chin. A voice echoed through the alley. **Lexa.** _

_Bellamy left my side and strode towards her. I could only watch as she suffered hit after hit. I tried to get up but once again, my members wouldn't respond. Tears leaked down my eyes as I saw Lexa's defeated figure and her pleading eyes. I cried Lexa's name over and over again to no avail. Bellamy stopped his assault momentarily to look at me._

_"This is your fault. This is all your fault" he said, then resumed hitting Lexa._

_Lexa's mouth started moving but I couldn't understand what she was saying at first. All I could hear was a piercing whistle. Finally the noise died down and I could make out Lexa's words._

_"Clarke...Clarke wake up" I frowned._

_Her voice sounded distant. Almost as if she was in my head and not in front of me._

_"Clarke, wake up!" I heard again and my vision suddenly got blurry._

 

Clarke shot up in bed, sweat dripping from her forehead, breathing erratically. Lexa was by her side in an instant, pulling her into her arms and rocking them gently.

"You're safe" she whispered into the blonde's ear.

Clarke let out a pained cry and clutched to Lexa as if her life depended on it. Those nightmares had been a recurring thing over the past week. Usually it was only a flashback of what had happened but this time it was different. This time Lexa had been the one being hurt and it had been immensely scary for Clarke. She couldn't stomach the thought of something happening to Lexa.

Clarke broke the hug and Lexa immediately cupped her cheeks before kissing her tears away one by one. The blonde leaned her forehead against Lexa's as one final sob wracked through her chest. **_Lexa's here. She's safe. I'm safe,_ ** Clarke mentally repeated to herself.

Clarke took off her shirt and tugged at the hem of Lexa's. A hand shot up to grab her wrist, stopping her movements.

"I don't think this is a good idea" Lexa whispered.

Clarke wasn't in a state where she could truly give her consent. Lexa wanted their first time to be special, at a time where they both feel happy and nothing else can cloud their judgment.

"I know, it's not like that" Clarke promised with a slight blush, "I just...I just want to feel you"

Lexa nodded. She didn't know what Clarke's nightmares consisted of and she wouldn't force Clarke to tell her but she could understand the need for skin to skin contact. It was something that helped her as well whenever she had a panic attack. It helped makeher feel grounded.

She took off her shirt and dropped it on the floor next to the bed, then lied down, opening her arms for Clarke to crawl into. Clarke settled on her chest and sighed at the warmth emanating from Lexa's body.

 

 

\--------------------------

 

 

A couple weeks had passed. Clarke had been doing better. Her nightmares were progressively stopping, only occuring a couple times a week now.

The few instances where she had heard the blonde's laughter again had warmed Lexa's heart and she was convinced they would get through this. Together.

In the meantime, a date had been set for the trial. It would take place on March 29th. One week from now. Their case was a solid one seeing as they still had videoproof of Bellamy's violent behaviour from the footage of him beating up Lexa in the school's parking lot.

Lexa had noticed the growing nerves of her girlfriend the closer they got to the trial's date and tonight, She wanted Clarke to forget about all of it for a few hours and have some fun.

She had grabbed Clarke's hand and hadn't given into the blonde's insistent claims that she would rather stay home. They had been in the car for at least thiry minutes and Clarke was growing curious. It didn't take much longer for her to figure out where Lexa was taking her. She had wanted to take Lexa there as well but the recent events had caused her to forget about it.

Lexa stopped the car and they both got out. The brunette intertwined their fingers and led them to the entrance of the fair.

Music was playing in the distance and lights were illuminating the place. The loud chatter and the various sounds of games created a light athmosphere. It was exactly what Clarke needed. She turned to look at Lexa and pulled her in for a soft kiss.

"Thank you" she whispered when the kiss ended.

They walked around a lot, taking in their surroundings and enjoying each other's presence. And of course, Lexa insisted on winning Clarke a stuffed animal at one those fair games that are nearly impossible to win.

"Those games are rigged, you won't win" Clarke told her.

"Watch me" Lexa replied as she handed a dollar bill to the young boy in charge of the game stall.

She grabbed the rugby ball and threw it, watching as it flew through the bigger hole. She let out a small _'whoop'_ as she raised  both arms in the air and relished in the sound of Clarke's laughter.

One more throw like this and the stuffed animal was hers. She took the ball in her hands again and furrowed her brows in concentration, she threw it and it went straight through the smaller hole. Clarke gaped at her while Lexa fistpumped in the air and turned towards the stuffed animals.

"Which one do you want?" She asked Clarke.

"I...I don't.....the lion" Clarke blushed as Lexa handed it to her.

She smiled upon seeing the proud expression on her girlfriend's face and pecked her lips in thanks.

They heard the sound of groaning and wailing next to them and saw a young boy trying and failing to win something for his little sister who was crying next to him. Lexa fished out a bill from her wallet and asked if she could try again. She once again managed to launch the ball into the smaller hole and crouched down next to the little girl, asking her which one she wanted.

"The pwincess" the little girl replied, wiping at her tears.

Lexa got back up to take the toy she was being handed and gave it to the girl, ruffling her hair. The girl threw herself at her, her tiny arms wrapping around the brunette's neck and Lexa tentatively returned the embrace, winking at the boy who had mouthed _'thank you'_

Unbeknownst to Lexa, Clarke was watching the whole thing with a fond smile and tons of images in her mind of Lexa raising their future kids. It was a bit early to think about that but she really couldn't help it.

Lexa waved the kids goodbye and when she turned around, her senses were invaded by blonde hair and a scent of vanilla as Clarke hugged her tightly.

"You are amazing" Clarke whispered in her neck.

"So are you" Lexa whispered back because it was true. Clarke was the most amazing and beautiful person she had ever met.

Clarke broke the hug and her eyes and smile widened as she pointed behind Lexa.

"Oh my God, Lex! The Ferris Wheel! We have to go!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down and really, how could Lexa said no to her?

 

 

\--------------------------

 

 

It seems that, in her awe of the blonde, Lexa had forgotten about her fear of heights but now that they were sitting inside the small cabin of the Ferris Wheel which was progressively going up, Lexa was reminded very clearly of why she hates going on rides.

"Lexa?" Clarke frowned, "why are you so stiff?"

"Hehe" Lexa laughed awkwardly as she rubbed the back of her neck and looked down with wary eyes, "I might be a tiny little bit scared of heights"

"Why didn't you say anything?" Clarke furrowed her brows.

"You just looked so excited to go on it and I didn't want to keep you from doing something you want" Lexa explained, shrugging.

"That's adorable but I don't want you to force yourself to do things you're not comfortable with just for me"

"It's not that bad, I swear" Lexa lied but the look of pure fear that took over her feature when the cabin rocked a bit was what betrayed her.

Clarke raised an eyebrow at her and Lexa grinned at her sheepishly while she held onto the security bar for dear life.

"Come here" Clarke rolled her eyes as she said it.

"And let go of that bar? Nope, not happening" Lexa shook her head.

"Fine, then I'll come" Clarke said, moving to unbuckle her seatbelt.

"Wait, no! You have to keep your seatbelt on" Lexa exclaimed.

"It's not like there is an actual rule telling you to keep your seatbelt on" Clarke rolled her eyes again.

"Actually, there is" Lexa said, pointing at the small sign plastered on the inside of the cabin with the instructions to follow, _"rule number five : do not unbuckle your seatbelt before the cabin has come to a stop"_ she read out loud.

Clarke laughed at her serious expression and unbuckled her seatbelt anyway. She moved the stuffed lion Lexa had won for her to the side and plopped down next to Lexa.

"You're adorable" she said, pinching Lexa's cheeks.

"I'm not adorable" Lexa said and she looked at Clarke with a very unimpressed expression while the blonde kept pinching her cheeks.

The cabin shook again and Lexa wrapped both arms tightly around Clarke. If you asked her later, she would deny being scared and claim instead that she did it in order to protect Clarke. Because Clarke didn't have her seatbelt on. _Obviously._

Lexa breathed out a sigh of relief when they got out of the cabin and her feet finally touched the ground again. Clarke chuckled and grabbed her by the hand, pulling her towards the stall where they were selling donuts. They ordered one each and sat at a nearby table.

Clarke laughed when she saw the powder on the tip of Lexa's nose. Lexa frowned at her and blushed when Clarke pointed it out to her. She went to wipe it off but Clarke stopped her, instead surging forward to lick it off the brunette's nose.

She remained a few inches away from Lexa and surged forward again, this time to capture her lips in a sweet kiss. Lexa hummed into the kiss and she could taste the sugar on Clarke's lips. Clarke trapped the brunette's bottom lip between her own lips and Lexa melted deeper into kiss. Her hands found purchase on Clarke's cheeks and their noses brushed as she changed the angle of the kiss.

Clarke sighed contentedly when she pulled away and rested her forehead on Lexa's.

They left a few minutes later, the stuffed lion tucked under Clarke's arm and her free arm linked with Lexa's as they walked towards the exit, taking one last look at their surroundings.

Clarke put her hand on Lexa's forearm before she opened the car and threw her arms around her neck.

"Thank you for tonight. I really needed this" she breathed out.

"I would do anything for you, you know that"

"You're so good to me" Clarke teared up.

Lexa heard her sniff and frowned. She pulled away from the embrace and wiped at the blonde's tears.

"This is the way you deserve to be treated. Like a queen" Lexa whispered into the quiet of the parking lot.

"It's not true" Clarke denied with a blush.

"It is. You are so beautiful inside and out and I cannot believe how lucky I am that you chose me"

"I'm the lucky one" Clarke whispered

"Well, I'll make it my life mission to prove you wrong" Lexa said and briefly kissed her lips before getting into the car, leaving Clarke smiling like an idiot.

 ** _Yeah, I really am the lucky one,_** Clarke smiled to herself and climbed into the car.

 

 

\--------------------------

 

 

The day of the trial had arrived. Clarke was pacing inside the courthouse and Lexa wasn't doing much better but she tried to remain calm for the sake of her girlfriend.

They were fifteen minutes away from entering the courtroom and they honestly didn't know if they wanted time to go slower or quicker. Clarke considered running away as the stress of it all was getting to her but decided against it.

Indra arrived and pulled Clarke away to brief her on what would happen once she steps into that room. Meanwhile, Jake asked to speak with Lexa in private and led her outside the building, promising not to take too long.

"I wanted to thank you" Jake started saying.

"What for?"

"Always being here for my daughter. Being the rock she needed you to be when all of this happened"

"It's no big deal. I'm sure anyone would have done the same thing" Lexa brushed it off.

"You know that's not true. You should give yourself some credit. You, Lexa Woods, are the single most amazing thing that has ever happened to my daughter and I cannot express how grateful I am to you"

"You have nothing to thank me for, really. I love Clarke. I would do anything for her"

"I know, kiddo" he ruffled her hair and before she could protest, he hugged her tightly.

They went back inside and Lexa nearly tripped over her own feet when she saw Anya give Clarke a hug. Her sister left with Aden shortly after _-she had agreed to take care of the boy during the trial-_ and Lexa walked towards Clarke.

"What was that about?" Lexa asked when she reached her.

"She told me she was sorry about what happened and that Indra would make sure he can't hurt anyone else. Then she just...well she hugged me" Clarke explained.

"Oh, that's..that's great...and very unlike Anya" Lexa said.

"Yeah, she must like me, huh?" Clarke joked but it fell flat because Lexa could hear the tremble in her voice, betraying how nervous she actually felt.

She pulled the blonde into her arms and murmured reassuring words in her ear. They looked at the clock and saw it was time to go in.

They stood hands linked in front of the closed door for a few seconds before pushing it open.

 ** _This is it,_ ** Clarke thought, _**no turning back now.**_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to add some fluff in the end because all that angsty stuff is definitely not my favorite thing to write. I've had the idea of them going to the fair for a while so here it is :)


	26. Chapter 26

 

 

Bellamy looked mortified.

He was sitting at the front next to his lawyer, fidgeting on his seat and fumbling with his shirt. His eyes were wide and his lips were slightly shaking. Lexa felt absolutely no pity for him. He had brought this upon himself and it was about time he pays for what he's done.

She heard more than saw Clarke shiver next to her and she knew it wasn't because she was cold but more because Bellamy's eyes had just connected with hers. She protectively wrapped her left arm around the blonde's waist and pulled her closer to her as they walked to the front to sit on their designed seats, next to Indra. They purposely avoided looking at Bellamy while the boy kept trying to get their attention and they focused on each other instead.

The few pre-selected members of the jury were seated on their right, the jurors's attention focused either on Bellamy or on Clarke and Lexa, scrutinizing their behaviour in prospect of the moment they will have the responsibility to determine whether the boy is guilty or not.

"How do you feel?" Lexa quietly asked as she turned to look at Clarke.

"Nervous" Clarke immediately answered.

She couldn't stay still. Her nerves were eating up at her and as a result, her hands needed to be occupied at all times, providing a small distraction. She kept reaching for Lexa's hair or the girl's hands, twirling a strand of hair or tracing her fingers over the back of Lexa's hands.

"I wouldn't be able to do this without you" Clarke whispered before leaving a delicate kiss on plump lips.

As Lexa opened her mouth to say something, a door opened. The judge came out of it and took place on her seat, quickly rearranging a stack of paper. Each head turned towards the judge and Clarke looked back to see her parents nodding encouragingly at her. She pressed her lips in a thin line and turned back around, grabbing Lexa's hand and holding onto it tightly.

The judge hit the table with her small hammer, demanding silence which was granted immediately. Clarke tensed as she knew it meant the beginning of the trial. She squeezed Lexa's hand tighter. She was pretty sure she was hurting the brunette at this point but not once did the girl complain. Out of selfishness maybe, Clarke kept on holding her hand. She allowed herself to be selfish just this once because she needed the physical contact.

Each side quickly gave their opening statements, outlining the proof they would present to the jury and to the judge during the course of the trial. From his lawyer's opening's statement, you could tell Bellamy would have a hard time defending his actions. It was as if even his lawyer knew this was a lost case.

Indra stepped up and immediately called in a witness. To everyone's surprise, Costia's name was the one she pronounced.

"Did you know about this?" Clarke whispered in Lexa's ear.

"No, I...I didn't" Lexa looked at her mother who threw her an apologetic glance.

Costia strode towards the front of the room and took a seat behind the stand.

"Do you swear to tell-"

"Yeah, yeah, I swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth and I'm well aware of the consequences of lying under oath" Costia cut the prosecutor off, raising her right hand.

"Ms. Forrest, can you confirm that Mr. Blake has personally asked you to harass my client" Indra started.

"Yes. Not only your client but also her girlfriend, Lexa Woods. He wanted them to break up and told me to do whatever it takes to make it happen"

"Has he ever encouraged you to be violent?"

"He told me that if needed, I had ro resort to violence. Like I said, he told me to do whatever it takes to split them up" Costia revealed.

"And did you use violence at any point?"

"No. I couldn't. I told him I wouldn't do it anymore"

"And what was Mr. Blake's reaction when you told him that?" Indra enquired.

"He was angry. He kept calling me for at least two weeks after that. The first call which I answered consisted of him threatening my family and I if I didn't do what he wanted me to. I stopped answering his calls after that"

Lexa's eyebrows shot up to her hairline. She had no idea Costia had been a victim of Bellamy as well.

"Objection!" Bellamy's lawyer yelled, "we have no proof of those phone calls"

"Actually, we do" Indra calmly said as she pulled a phone out of her pocket, "see, this is Ms. Forrest's phone. A simple look at the history of her calls can confirm her words" she handed the phone at the judge who took a quick look at it.

"Objection rejected" she said then turned towards Indra, "please resume"

"Thank you, your Honor" Indra nodded in thanks, "and this is only one of the many proofs we have of Mr. Blake's violent behaviour. Further proof will be shown during the course of this trial" she concluded the first part of her argumentation.

The judge asked Bellamy's lawyer if he wanted to ask questions to Costia to which he replied with a shake of his head. Costia got up and went back to her original seat in the back. Lexa's eyes followed her as she walked and when their eyes connected, she dipped her head slightly as a silent _'thank you'_

The brunette looked at Clarke and brought their linked hands up to her mouth to reassuringly kiss the back of Clarke's hand. The blonde gave her a strained smile. She was under a lot of stress right now and seeing the boy who almost raped her was a bit triggering for her.

The trial went on and Indra presented piece of evidence after piece of evidence such as the footage video of the parking lot attack on Lexa. The lawyer even went as far as calling Octavia to the stand. Clarke could see some suspicious looks being thrown Bellamy's way. His own sister testifying against him greatly helped convince the jury that he was guilty. The trial was coming to a close and Bellamy's lawyer looked defeated. Each of his arguments had been shut down by Indra and there wasn't much more he could do for Bellamy. Indra called for her last witness. Clarke let go of Lexa's hand as her name was called and got up.

"What are you doing?" Lexa whispered loudly.

"Giving my testimony" Clarke answered, looking away.

"W-Why didn't you tell me you'd do it?" Lexa asked.

"Because you would have tried to stop me"

"I...but I..." Lexa sighed. Clarke was right. She probably would have, "you don't have to do this if you don't want to"

"I need to" Clarke admitted.

Lexa nodded and grabbed her wrist, leaving a soft kiss on it.

"I love you" she whispered against the skin.

Clarke smiled at her then walked to the stand. She inhaled deeply and slowly relieved the air from her lungs before speaking.

"I was coming back home when...when it happened. I had spent the whole weekend with my girlfriend" at this she smiled discreetly at Lexa, "I felt a hand..." she took a few seconds to compose herself.

She saw her parents looking at her encouragingly and locked her gaze on Lexa. The brunette was her anchor and she really needed that right now.

"I felt a hand grab my arm and roughly pull me into an alley and...and he...he" tears were welling up in her eyes but she was determined to finish this, "he hit me to keep me still, to keep me from...from moving while he...while he...excuse me"

Her voice cracked and a tear escaped her left eye. She could see tears running down Lexa's cheeks as well and her parents were in the same state. She knew that for them, it wasn't an easy thing to hear.

"He unzipped his pants. I was quickly losing strength and I couldn't...I couldn't do anything. I just lay there and I couldn't do a thing!" A sob escaped and she wiped at her tears with her left hand, "he grabbed my legs...he forcefully spread them and I...if it wasn't for...he would have"

Her voice cracked again. She watched Lexa and saw her mouth the words _'you are strong'_ which gave her the strength to finish her testimony.

"If my girlfriend hadn't come back, he would have....he would have raped me. Lexa saved me. And I cannot stomach the idea that if he is released, he would have the liberty to assault other innocent girls....thank you" she finished, getting up.

The judge cleared her throat. Clearly, emotions had gotten to her as well and she thanked Clarke, giving a few minutes to the jury to deliberate. Once Clarke sat back down, she was engulfed by Lexa's strong arms and loving kisses were pressed on her temple. She buried her face in Lexa's neck and cried, her body shaking with silent sobs while the brunette held her tightly against herself, her left hand on the back of Clarke's head, stroking her hair with her thumb in a soothing pattern.

It only took a couple minutes for the jury to agree on a verdict. This was a good thing. If it had taken longer that would have meant some of them thought Bellamy innocent.

"What is the verdict you have reached?" The judge asked.

"We find the accused guilty of violence and attempted rape against a minor" one of the jurors announced.

Beside her, Lexa could see Clarke's shoulders slump down in relief. She brought a hand to the small of Clarke's back and stared into watery cerulean eyes. They only faintly heard the decision of the judge as they were smiling widely at each other.

"Mr. Blake, you are sentenced to 10 years in prison and the decision is irrevocable. Do you understand?"

Bellamy nodded, his eyes tearing up. The judge slammed her hammer against the table once and he was escorted outside. Justice had been served.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

The courtroom emptied itself and Lexa caught a glimpse of Costia in the crowd. She hugged Clarke once more and kissed her, promising she'd be back soon. Abby and Jake took their daughter in their arms, telling her over and over again how proud of her they were.

"Costia, wait!" Lexa called after the girl.

"You know it kinda sucks. Last time I saw you, I made the perfect goodbye speech and I really don't feel like doing it again" Costia joked.

"Thank you"

"What for?"

"Testifying against Bellamy. You didn't have to do that"

"Yeah well, that asshole threatened my family. I wouldn't let him get away with that and with what he did to Clarke" Costia shrugged.

"I still don't forgive you" the brunette clarified.

"I know"

"I probably never will" she added

"I know"

Lexa nodded and Costia took it as her cue to leave. The brunette watched the retreating figure of the girl then made her way back inside. She found Clarke wrapped up in a group hug from Octavia and Raven.

"Clarke?" Lexa called out.

The blonde instantly let go of the other two girls so she could throw her arms around Lexa's waist and rest her head in the crook of her neck.

"I want ice cream" Clarke mumbled against Lexa's skin.

The brunette laughed and nodded her head in agreement.

"And cuddles. You better cuddle me lots today" the blonde added as an afterthought.

"I will" Lexa kissed her temple and smiled to herself. ** _Yeah, we'll be just fine._**

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

"You have a little something....here" Lexa said, pointing at the bit of ice cream that had ended up on Clarke's chin. The sight was adorable

"Where?" Clarke scrunched up her eyebrows.

"Here, let me" Lexa said and she boldly leaned forward to lick it off her chin, much like Clarke had done at the fair.

Clarke shyly ducked her head and silently resumed eating her ice cream, a faint pink coloring her cheeks.

"It was very brave what you did today" Lexa cut through the silence.

"Huh?" Clarke looked back up, an eyebrow raised in question.

"Testifying" Lexa clarified and Clarke's eyes shifted downwards, "I'm sorry, you probably don't want to speak about it. I should have known better than to say this. It was stupid. I'm sor-"

Soft lips against her own interrupted her rambling and she melted into the kiss. Clarke's hands were on Lexa's cheeks and Lexa moved her own to cover Clarke's as their lips molded together perfectly.

"I couldn't have done it without you" Clarke whispered when she pulled away.

Lexa was about to argue but Clarke raised her hand to silence her.

"Do you want to know how I managed to get all of this out of my mouth without completely breaking down?" the blonde questioned.

Lexa slowly nodded.

"I looked into your eyes and what I saw there was what kept me going. It's what keeps me going everyday"

"What did you see?"

"Pride...worry ........love." Clarke listed off.

Lexa suddenly got up, startling Clarke. She paid for their ice cream, then grabbed Clarke's hand and wordlessly led them to the car.

"What are you doing? Where are we going?" Clarke asked, confused.

"Just trust me. You need to busy your mind with something else and I know just the place to do that"

They drove for a solid thirty minutes before Lexa pulled the car to a stop. She guided Clarke inside a small building which looked similar to...

"A _dojo?_ " Clarke recognised the place.

"Yup" Lexa smiled proudly, "I used to do different kind of martial arts when I was younger. At some point, I couldn't juggle between soccer and martial arts anymore and I had to make a choice. I chose soccer but martial arts will forever be important to me" she explained.

"Lex...I suck at this"

"I'll teach you" Lexa shrugged.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

Clarke looked absolutely adorable all wrapped up in her karategi with a protection headgear safely placed on her head which Lexa had insisted she wears despite the blonde's insistence that she didn't want one.

"Why aren't you wearing a helmet?" Clarke asked.

"I don't need it"

"That's so unfair! Why do I have to wear one?"

"Because you've never sparred and I don't want to hurt your beautiful face"

Clarke seemed to accept it as an answer and launched herself at the brunette who was taken by surprise thus had no time to react. They both fell heavily on the mat, Clarke landing right on Lexa who let out a groan at the impact.

"Sorry, baby, I didn't mean to hurt you" Clarke rushed out and tried to get off of Lexa but the brunette circled her waist and held her there.

"I'm good. Just wait for me to be ready before throwing yourself at me next time?"

Clarke nodded and helped Lexa to her feet.

"Let's just start with the basics" Lexa announced.

The next hour or so was spent with Lexa teaching Clarke the rules of karate. It was hard for Clarke to remain focused when Lexa kept stepping behind her and touching various parts of her body to show her the proper way to execute the moves. 

After a lot of explaining, the blonde finally felt ready for a real match.

"Are you sure?" Lexa asked.

"Bring it on"

They put some distance between them and squared up. They kept that same distance for a  solid thirty seconds, walking in a circle while facing one another, making short back and forths without really attacking, then Lexa made the first move. She stepped closer and threw in a punch that was swiftly blocked by Clarke's hand. Lexa allowed herself to smile for a second, proud of her girlfriend, then charged again, swinging her left foot to hit Clarke's thigh. The blonde stumbled backwards a bit then found her footing again and went to the offensive. She got a hit on Lexa's arm before the girl tripped her.

The blonde fell to the ground, and her arm was held behind her back in an arm lock by the brunette who was now half sitting on the small of her back. Clarke tapped her palm against the mat and Lexa released her hold on her arm, getting off of the blonde.

"You okay?" Lexa asked worriedly when she saw Clarke rubbing her arm.

"Yeah, I'm fine" Clarke reassured her.

"If you need me to be less agressive..." Lexa trailed off.

"No. Don't go easy on me. Give me your best" Clarke decidedly told her. She didn't want to be treated like a fragile little thing.

She took off the headgear, reassuring Lexa that she wouldn't get hurt and they went back at it. At some point, after being sent to the mat a few more times, Clarke managed to catch Lexa off guard and send her to the ground, the blonde's hands clasped around Lexa's wrist, holding them firmly against the mat on each side of the brunette's head.

"Got you" Clarke whispered out of breath, grinning from ear to ear.

Lexa smiled up at her and her eyes flicked between Clarke's eyes and lips. Clarke caught onto the motion and dipped her head to connect their lips. Lexa hummed into the kiss and tried to move her arms but they were still trapped against the mat by Clarke. Eventually she gave up the fight and let Clarke control the kiss.

Clarke's tongue darted out of her mouth to lick the brunette's bottom lip. Lexa opened her mouth and their tongues glided together, drawing a moan from both girls. Their bodies melted together, every inch of them connected and it felt so right to them. Clarke never wanted to stop kissing Lexa and Lexa never wanted Clarke to stop kissing her. They were lost in each other and every other sounds were muted.

The hold on Lexa's arms loosened and Lexa saw it as an opportunity to free her arms and to roll them over to take control of the kiss. Clarke let out a gasp as she was now the one being pinned down against the mat while Lexa kissed her way down her neck, supporting her weight with her forearms, placed on each side of Clarke's head. The blonde craned her neck to give her more space. Lexa nibbled at her collarbone and her hands moved to rest on the brunette's back. The blonde's mind was foggy and she couldn't even remember what they had been doing before their lips met. Clarke let out a soft whimper when Lexa's lips moved to suck at her pulsepoint which would surely leave a mark.

"Lex.." she breathed out and the bunette lifted her head to look into cerulean eyes, "kiss me" she demanded.

Lexa happily obliged, connecting their lips again, trapping Clarke's bottom lip between her own lips. Clarke's hands tangled in Lexa's hair as she changed the angle of the kiss.

"Was that your plan all along?" Clarke asked when they pulled away.

"Not really but I'm definitely not opposed to it" Lexa smiled down at her and briefly kissed her once more.

They got up and Lexa wiped at the bit of dust on her clothes. She noticed Clarke staring at her.

"What?" Lexa asked.

"Thank you"

"What for?"

"Everything...being so supportive and even just now trying to make me feel better and offering a distraction. I've never really had someone who notices when I'm sad or angry before but you do. You do and I love you so much. And I feel so bad because I keep burdening you with my problems and you're always there for me and not once have I considered your feelings about the whole situation and-"

Lexa cut her off by capturing her lips between her own. ** _How can Clarke think like that?_** She cupped her cheeks, forcing the blonde to look into her eyes.

"You're not a burden to me" she said with total honesty, "I _want_ to be there for you at all times, not just when you're happy. I want to be there through tough times as well, just like _you_ have always been there for me. And Clarke, you make me happy. Happier than I've ever been. I love you and I want to be able to provide the comfort you need. I want you to know that you can tell me anything. Your feelings, your emotions, they're real. Don't push those aside because you're scared that people will grow tired of hearing about it"

Lexa gazed into Clarke's eyes, trying to convey how much she truly meant that.

"When I first kissed you that night, on your doorstep, that was me telling you that I want you. _All of you._ I want you with your qualities but also with your flaws because those are what make you who you are and God, I _love_ you just the way you are. So please, never be afraid to tell me how you feel. Never be afraid to talk to me about your problems. I am yours, fully, and I swear to do my best to change your tears into laughter, to make one of your days go from bad to good, to make you smile as much as possible because you have the most beautiful smile I have ever seen. To love you the way you deserve to be loved. Clarke Griffin, I see you and you are beautiful" Lexa ended her speech and wiped at the tears that were leaking from Clarke's eyes.

Clarke threw her arms around Lexa with so much force that Lexa had to take two steps back in order to not fall on her ass. She wrapped her own arms around Clarke's waist and held her tightly for what seemed like forever while Clarke repeated _'I love you'_ over and over again in her ear and yeah, **_this is what happiness feels like._**

 

 


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of fluff and some smut at the end. This was my first time writing smut so it was a bit challenging  
> The English translation of French sentences will be in bold letters.

 

 

"Are you serious?" Clarke asked her dad, unable to conceal her excitement. Jake nodded in answer and he smiled when his daughter flung herself at him, hugging him tightly while thanking him.

Jake had announced to Clarke that they would go on a camping trip with the Woods family during spring break which was starting at the end of the week. He thought a change of scenery would be beneficial to Clarke after what happened with _'he who shall_ _not be named'_

"Does Lexa know?" Clarke asked him.

"Not yet. We thought you would want to break the news to her" he ruffled her hair and bent down to press a kiss to her forehead, "I love you, kiddo"

"I love you too, dad" Clarke kissed his cheek and quickly ate her breakfast. She couldn't wait to pick up Lexa so she could inform the girl of their upcoming camping trip.

Jake lifted Aden who had stumbled into the kitchen while Clarke was eating and he put the boy on his lap, bouncing him lightly, smiling at the squeals of joy that the boy let out everytime he went up. Clarke kissed her dad's cheek and pressed her lips against the tip of Aden's nose then hurriedly left the house, her bag flung over her right shoulder.

She shot Lexa a text to tell her she was waiting for her in the car and less than a minute later, her girlfriend was out of her house, balancing her books one one arm while holding two cups of coffee from starbucks that were now filled with home-made coffee. Clarke got out of the car to relieve her of the books and left a brief kiss on plump lips as she does every other morning. Lexa thanked her and climbed into the car, handing Clarke one of the cups before taking her books back and placing them on her lap.

Lexa blew on her coffee and brought the cup to her lips, humming in delight when the warm liquid hit her tongue. Clarke smiled at her and couldn't hold off her newly acquired information anymore.

"I have something to tell you" she excitedly said.

Lexa took one more sip of her coffee then turned her attention to Clarke, sensing that she would like whatever was about to come out of the blonde's mouth.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"We're going on a camping trip for springbreak!!" Clarke all but yelled.

"Oh...that's great. I'm happy for you" Lexa felt a bit sad at hearing this. She had wanted to spend springbreak with her girlfriend.

Clarke smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand and gave Lexa a very unimpressed look.

"Ow! What was that for?" Lexa rubbed her forehead.

"You're coming with us, you silly"

"I am?" Lexa's excitement was back.

"Of course you are! Did you really think I would spend my holidays without you?"

"Oh, well...I didn't know.." Lexa fumbled with the hem of her shirt.

"I would never" Clarke clarified. Lexa nodded and let the information sink in.

"We're going on a camping trip" she whispered happily, her smile growing by the second.

"Alright, dork" Clarke laughed and took a sip of her own coffee.

Once they had both finished drinking their coffee, they placed it in the cup-holder that was in the cardoor and drove to school, discussing excitedly about what they wanted to do during the trip which led them to have a disagreement about the necessity of a hike. They kept playfully arguing back and forth until the schoolbell rang, indicating the start of their first period which was sadly the only class they didn't share. They parted with a kiss and the promise to continue this conversation at a later time.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

"I feel like it's been forever since we've been up here" Clarke said, looking up at the sky.

They were sitting on a bench on the school's rooftop, Clarke sitting between Lexa's legs. Clarke's head was resting on Lexa's chest and the brunette had her arms wrapped around Clarke's midsection, her back pressed against the bench.

"A lot has happened lately" Lexa chimed in, placing her chin on top of Clarke's head, "I missed the quiet"

"Yeah, me too" Clarke turned her body slightly and buried her face in the crook of Lexa's neck, closing her eyes and enjoying the silence.

The cold breeze and the peacefulness of the moment caused Clarke to fall asleep in Lexa's arms. The brunette didn't mind at all. She grabbed Clarke's legs and pulled them up and onto the bench so the blonde wouldn't sleep in an uncomfortable position. Her hands moved to stroke the blonde's hair with one hand and her back with the other. Clarke unconsciously brought her fists to grip Lexa's shirt, holding tightly onto her.

After a few minutes, Clarke started mumbling incoherently in her sleep and Lexa smiled down at her. Clarke's words became more intelligible and Lexa could make out her name being called out.

"Lexa...Le...Lexa, please" Lexa frowned upon hearing her name, thinking Clarke was having a nightmare but when she looked down at the girl, she didn't look scared or anything. The girl's breathing had increased and she was letting out small whimpers. **_Well if she's not having a nightmare then what is she- oh. Oh!_**

It dawned on Lexa that, indeed Clarke wasn't having a nightmare. If anything, it was the opposite. Clarke was having a really good dream. Lexa felt a blush creep its way onto her cheeks and it was useless to try and stop it. Clarke started letting out quiet moans and it became difficult for Lexa to remain unaffected by the sounds.

She shook the blonde to wake her up and she saw her girlfriend's eyes flutter open. The blonde looked around, confused, then her eyes settled on Lexa and the color on her cheeks suddenly matched the one on Lexa's. She jumped out of Lexa's arms and ran a hand through her hair.

"Uhhh.. I'm- I'm sorry...uhh" she stammered out.

"It's...it's okay, Clarke" Lexa tried to lessen the awkwardness of the situation but her words had the opposite effect.

"Oh my God" Clarke hid her face with both hands, willing the earth to open under her feet and swallow her whole.

Lexa took it upon herself to reassure the girl that there wasn't anything to feel embarrassed about. She walked towards Clarke and pried her hands away from her face, holding them in her own instead. Clarke looked away, too embarrassed to make eye contact with Lexa.

"Clarke, look at me"

Clarke shook her head and kept her eyes on the big tree on her left.

"Please" Lexa tried.

Clarke hesitantly brought her gaze on her girlfriend, shying away under her stare.

"It's okay" Lexa offered.

"It's not! We haven't even...and I'm here acting like a horndog!"

"Exactly. We haven't had sex yet and we've been dating for quite a while now. It's normal to feel that way. I would be lying if I said I haven't been thinking about it" Lexa figured if she admitted that, it would alleviate some of Clarke's embarrassement.

"You have?"

"Yeah"

"So you want to...?" Clarke trailed off.

"I do, but I don't want it to be forced. I think when the moment is right, we'll both know"

Clarke nodded and dropped her head on Lexa's shoulder.

"I'm still embarrassed" Clarke mumbled.

Lexa laughed at that, "it will pass"

 

 

\---------------------------

 

 

"Is everyone ready to go?" Jake asked as he put the last bag in the trunk.

He was met with a chorus of _'yes'_ and they all sat in the two cars they would use to get to the camping site. Anya, Indra and Abby would ride together in Indra's car while Jake, Aden, Clarke and Lexa would ride in Jake's car. They had wanted to split up as families at first but they hadn't taken into consideration that Clarke and Lexa would adamantly refuse to be separated.

Clarke took a seat next to Lexa in the car and Aden whined because he wanted to be next to both Lexa and Clarke. They came up with a solution and Aden sat on Lexa's lap. Jake shook his head at how whipped they were when it comes to the boy. He always ended up getting what he wanted.

As per his request, Lexa handed her phone to Aden so he could play _'Piano Tiles'_ and Clarke turned to look at her with a betrayed expression.

"Oh I see how it is. So he can play but I can't?"

"He's cute" Lexa shrugged.

"And I'm not?" Clarke feigned hurt.

"Meh, not really"

"Lexa!" Clarke slapped her shoulder and Lexa giggled happily.

"Come here" she whispered.

Clarke leaned foward and Lexa left a soft kiss on awaiting lips.

"You are very cute but once you start playing, you don't know when to stop" she whispered against her lips.

"Not true" Clarke argued

"Very true"

Clarke grumbled but made no attempt to correct Lexa. Her pout turned into a bright smile when Lexa pressed her lips against her cheek.

"Gross" Jake jokingly said from the frontseat.

"Dad!"

Jake simply laughed and winked at Lexa who was quietly giggling next to Clarke, hiding her amused smile by using Aden to block Clarke's view.

"I know you're laughing, Lexa" Clarke said in an annoyed tone.

"I'm not" Lexa lied.

"You're lucky you're cute" Clarke relented.

 

 

\--------------------------

 

 

"Lessa" Aden tugged on her sleeve after about three hours on the road, "I have to pee"

"Jake, how far is the next rest area?"

"Uh, pretty far" Jake answered.

"Can you take the next exit so we can find a spot where Aden can pee?"

"Sure thing" Jake replied. He changed lanes and left the highway.

Lexa accompanied the boy behind a tree while Clarke and Jake got out of the car to stretch their legs a bit. One of the cons of driving long distances was the lack of space a car offered which often resulted in sore bones and boredom.

Jake shot Abby a text telling her they had made a quick stop and warning her that they would therefore arrive a bit later at the hotel. The drive was a long one and they had decided to cut it in half to do it on two days and to stay at a hotel for the night. Abby answered by a simple _'ok'_ as she usually does. _Brevity is the soul of wit,_ she had told Clarke when the blonde had asked her why she never bothered writing more. If you asked Clarke, that was just a bullshit excuse for the fact that she was too lazy to respond with an actual sentence.

They got back on the road and reached the hotel a couple hours later, around 7 PM. They retrieved the key to their respective rooms and settled into the hotel. Abby and Jake shared a room with Aden at the end of the hallway and Indra and Anya shared one next to them. There were no other rooms available on that floor so Clarke and Lexa were staying on the upper floor. Jake, Abby and Indra were all aware of what might happen if they left Clarke and Lexa alone in a room but they knew their daughters were both old enough to make their own decisions and they already knew Lexa was the one for Clarke and vice-versa. Besides, it's not like they could get pregnant or anything.

"Get dressed. I'm taking you out" Clarke announced.

"What? But I don't have anything to wear" Lexa replied.

"I might have slipped a dress into your suitcase this morning" Clarke smiled at her sheepishly.

Lexa rummaged through her suitcase and indeed, a beautiful knee-lengthed red dress was folded in it.

"It's beautiful, Clarke" Lexa looked at the dress in awe.

"You think? I bought it yesterday. I thought you'd like it. I mean, I didn't want to assume but-"

"I love it" Lexa cut her off, "thank you" she pecked the blonde's lips before undressing to put on the dress.

"Well...I'll just put on..mine...so y-yeah" Clarke stuttered as she watched Lexa discarding piece of clothing after piece of clothing.

Lexa hummed, a small smile playing on her lips and she watched as the blonde all but ran towards the bathroom.

About ten minutes later, Clarke came out of the bathroom in a stunning marine blue dress. Her makeup was light and made the blue of her eyes pop out.

"You're beautiful" Lexa told the girl when she saw her.

"Thanks. You too"

"You did pick a very beautiful dress" Lexa brushed off the compliment.

"The dress is pretty but I was talking about you. You're beautiful" Clarke insisted.

"Thank you" Lexa ducked her head bashfully.

Clarke grabbed her purse and intertwined their fingers with her free hand, leading them outside. The cold wind smacked against their bodies and Lexa saw Clarke shiver from the corner of her eye. She discarded the suit jacket she had put on and gently draped it over Clarke's shoulders. It was a simple action but Clarke's heart exploded with love nonetheless. She shyly thanked Lexa and left a soft kiss on the girl's cheek.

Clarke had been there once before when she was younger and she remembered a small French restaurant that her parents had brought her to. They walked for a couple minutes until they were standing in front of it.

 _'La Belle-Vue'_ was written in big red letters on the front wall of the restaurant.

***The Beautiful View***

They entered and were greeted by a waiter dressed with a white button-up shirt, black pants and a black bowtie to complete the look.

"Bonjour, avez-vous réservé une table?" He asked.

***Hello, have you reserved a table?***

Clarke was about to reply that they don't speak French when Lexa started speaking.

"Non, nous ne l'avons pas fait. Il y a-t-il une table pour deux de disponible?" she said in a perfect French accent, stunning Clarke.

***No, we haven't. Is there a table for two that is available?***

"Bien sûr. Veuillez me suivre" the waiter replied, starting to walk towards the back of the restaurant.

***Of course. Please, follow me***

"Merci" Lexa thanked the waiter.

***thank you* (I think everyone understood that one)**

They sat at a table nearby a window which gave a beautiful view of the outside streets. Clarke gaped at Lexa in complete awe.

"What?" Lexa asked.

"You speak French?"

"Yeah. I learned it a few years ago when I went on a trip to France with my family" Lexa shrugged as if it was no big deal.

"It's hot" Clarke blurted out and Lexa laughed.

"If you think so" Lexa said and went back to looking at the menu, "what do you want to drink?"

"Uh...I don't know. Are we even allowed to drink wine?"

"I don't think so"

"I'll just take some water then" Clarke shrugged.

The waiter went back to their table after a few minutes with a small notebook.

"Êtes-vous prêtes à commander?" He asked, clicking his pen.

***Are you ready to order?***

"Oui. Je vais prendre le foie gras" she smiled politely at the waiter.

***Yes. I'll have the foie gras***

"Uhh same" Clarke said.

"Oh no, baby, trust me you won't like it" Lexa laughed because she knew Clarke didn't like that type of food, "elle va prendre un simple spaghetti bolognèse" she addressed the waiter who jotted it down on his notebook.

***She will have a simple spaghetti bolognese***

"Quelque chose à boire?" He asked.

***Something to drink?***

"Juste de l'eau, s'il vous plaît"

***just water, please***

The waiter nodded and left. Clarke looked at Lexa in wonderment and Lexa rolled her eyes, expecting Clarke to make another remark on her French.

"What?"

"You called me baby" Clarke said, "you never call me baby"

"Oh...uhmm..I"

"Say it again" Clarke said.

Lexa rolled her eyes, "baby"

Clarke's smile streched into a huge grin, "again"

"I love you, baby" Lexa smiled shyly at Clarke, the term of endearment smoothly rolling off her tongue and she wondered why she had never said it before because the smile she got from Clarke in response filled her own heart with joy.

Clarke leaned over the table and locked their lips in a kiss. She kept it chaste because there were people around but the look in her eyes told Lexa she wouldn't restrain herself once they're back at the hotel.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

They left about an hour later. Lexa caught a glimpse of a secluded beach and insisted that they go for a little while.

"Come on, Clarke. We don't have those in Arkadia" she tried to convince the blonde who was reluctant to go in such light clothes.

"Alright" she agreed and Lexa jumped up and down in happiness.

She took off her shoes, ran down the beach and stopped when her feet hit the water. She couldn't go further than that because they didn't have any towels to dry themselves but she enjoyed the feeling of the waves hitting her feet while the wind smacked against her face, sending her hair flying. Clarke stood beside her and grabbed her hand. They sat in the sand for a few minutes, simply looking at the horizon, Clarke's head resting on Lexa's shoulder and Lexa's head resting on the top of Clarke's head, then they decided to go back to the hotel.

They wiped the sand off their clothes and used the small beach shower to get the sand off their feet. They put their shoes back on and walked back to the hotel, laughing and occasionally stopping to steal kisses from the other. Their kisses grew more passionate as they entered the elevator and Lexa was now pressed against the elevator wall, Clarke leaving kisses on her neck.

"Clarke...someone could see" Lexa half-heartedly tried to push her away.

"Let them" Clarke mumbled against her skin and sucked on Lexa's pulsepoint, drawing a moan from the brunette.

They heard the ding of the elevator and Clarke pushed Lexa outside, guiding their steps, not once detaching her lips from where they were firmly pressed against Lexa's neck. Lexa fumbled with the keys and after three failed attempts, managed to open the door. They slipped inside and Clarke closed the door behind them with her foot before locking their lips in a searing kiss.

They both kicked their shoes off their feet and Clarke gently pushed Lexa on the bed and stared at her, panting. The sudden distance between them, although small, seemed to bring some clarity into Clarke's previously foggy mind.

"We don't have to do anything you don't want to" she told the brunette.

"I want you" Lexa boldly stated and she sat up to tug on Clarke's dress, pulling her closer.

"Are you sure?" Clarke wanted to make sure neither of them would regret it in the morning.

"One hundred percent" Lexa confirmed before unzipping and taking off Clarke's dress, leaving the blonde in her bra and underwear.

Clarke did the same with Lexa's dress and they both stared at each other for a few seconds before jumping into action. Lexa lay back down and Clarke crawled on top of her, supporting her weight with her arms. She kissed the top of Lexa's breasts and Lexa's hands found purchase on the blonde's shoulder blades.

Clarke's kisses travelled down Lexa's body to find their destination on her stomach, turning Lexa into a writhing mess. The brunette tugged on the clasp of Clarke's bra. Clarke gave her a nod of approval and Lexa unclasped it, revealing round and soft breast. Clarke kissed her way up Lexa's body and reached behind the girl's back.

"Can I?" She softly whispered.

Lexa nodded and the next second, her bra was gone as well. Clarke kissed between her breasts again then took a nipple in her mouth, eliciting a moan from Lexa. Fingers tangled in blonde hair as she licked and sucked at Lexa's nipple. She switched her ministrations to the other breast and relished in the small sounds of pleasure Lexa was letting out.

Clarke's fingers hooked in the waistband of the brunette's underwear and looked up at Lexa for permission to go further. Lexa nodded and clasped her hands over Clarke's.

"Please"

Clarke nodded and slowly pulled Lexa's underwear down her legs. She threw it across the room and lowered her body on Lexa's, their chests brushing together.

"I love you" she whispered before kissing Lexa deeply.

Lexa's hands flew to her hair and Clarke slipped her thigh between Lexa's legs, against the girl's center. She slightly grinded on the brunette as the kiss continued.

"Fuck, Clarke" Lexa breathed out when they separated to catch their breath.

"Breathe, baby" Clarke whispered before kissing down her neck, stopping to suck at her pulsepoint.

She retracted her leg and Lexa let out a small sound of disappointment that was quickly replaced by a moan when Clarke slipped her arm between them and circled Lexa's clit with her index and middle finger.

"Is that okay?" She asked.

"Fuck...yeah...feels good" Lexa said between sharp intakes of breath.

Lexa's moans increased in volume and Clarke swallowed them by kissing the girl once more. She dipped her head to nip at her collarbone and she moved one finger to Lexa's entrance, slipping through her folds while circling her clit with her thumb. She waited for Lexa's nod of approval, then dipped her finger inside only to retract it almost immediately.

"Please....inside..." Lexa panted.

Hearing the desperation in her girlfriend's voice, Clarke decided to cut her teasing short and slowly inserted her middle finger inside.

"Fuck" Lexa moaned at the intrusion.

"Does that feel good?" Clarke asked, scared that she might be hurting her.

"Y-yeah" Lexa nodded, her eyes firmly shut.

Clarke tentatively pushed her finger deeper and listened to Lexa's reaction to know if she was doing it right. She started thrusting in and out of the girl while she kept a circling motion with her thumb on the girl's clit. It was a bit clumsy because she was inexperienced but Lexa seemed to be enjoying it.

"Don't...stop" Lexa whimpered, her hips rising ever so slightly from the bed to meet Clarke's thrusts. She was close, "more, please..."

Clarke added her index finger and resumed thrusting. She attached her lips to Lexa's left breast and hummed when fingers threated through her hair.

"I'm close...I'm gonna-"

"It's okay. Cum, baby" Clarke whispered in her ear and Lexa's body stilled. Her eyes slammed shut and her walls clenched around Clarke's finger as she let out a loud moan.

Lexa lost in pleasure with her mouth open and her eyes closed was one of the most beautiful things Clarke had ever witnessed. She helped Lexa ride out her orgasm by thrusting her fingers at a slower rhythm, then pulled out, earning a whimper from Lexa.

Lexa's jaw dropped when she watched Clarke lick her fingers clean. The blonde moaned at the taste and locked their lips. Lexa hummed when she tasted herself on Clarke's lips and she brought her hands to Clarke's cheeks, brushing her thumbs against them. When Clarke pulled away, she noticed a single tear rolling down Lexa's right cheek. She brushed it with her thumb and frowned.

"Did I hurt you?" She worriedly asked.

Lexa shook her head and gave her a small smile, "sorry...I'm just a bit emotional...god I'm one of those losers that cry after sex" she let out a watery laugh.

"I don't think it makes you a loser. I think the love we share is strong and it's normal that emotion has gotten to you"

Lexa craned her neck to kiss her softly.

"So I take it that it was okay?" Clarke shyly asked when they pulled away.

"You ask me if it was okay?" Lexa asked in disbelief and Clarke bashfully shrugged, "baby, it was amazing. I can't believe you've never done that before"

Clarke blushed, suddenly shy now that they weren't in the heat of the moment anymore.

"You're still wearing your underwear" Lexa pointed out before flipping them over and hooking her thumbs in the blonde's underwear.

"Oh you don't have to, I'm fine" Clarke didn't want Lexa to feel forced to do anything just because she had done it for her.

"I want to. Let me make you feel good too" Lexa whispered before taking off the last barrier between them.

She captured Clarke's lips with her own and kissed her way down Clarke's body. She spent a copious amount of time fondling and sucking on Clarke's breasts but can you really blame her?

She lovingly kissed the inside of Clarke's thighs and stopped right before where Clarke needed her the most.

"You're beautiful" she whispered before leaving a kiss on the small patch of blonde hair above Clarke's clit. She brought one hand up to link her fingers with Clarke's who had her hands resting on each side of her body, then flattened her tongue against the blonde's center, drawing out a loud moan from Clarke.

"Fuck, Lex" she cried out.

Clarke's free hand tangled in Lexa's hair and the brunette started licking through her folds, humming at the taste which sent vibrations through Clarke's body who had quickly become a moaning mess.

Lexa licked once more through Clarke's folds, then brought her tongue higher, circling Clarke's clit with it. The blonde's moans increased in volume as Lexa took her bundle of nerves between her lips and sucked lightly on it. Green eyes connected with blue ones for a second, sending a jolt of electricity through their bodies, before Clarke threw her head back against the pillow, lost in pleasure.

"fuck yes....baby...fuck!" Clarke was clearly more vocal than Lexa during sex and the brunette was enjoying every minute of it. However, she really hoped the walls weren't paper thin.

Lexa detached her lips from her and brought her free hand to Clarke's center, dipping a finger inside.

"Oh my God" Clarke's eyes rolled to the back of her head when she felt Lexa's finger enter her and the brunette's lips wrap once again around her clit.

Clarke's hips started unconsciously rolling, grinding her center against Lexa's face, not that Lexa minded. If anything, she felt proud that she could get such a strong reaction from her girlfriend.

"Holy shit" Clarke screamed as she felt her orgasm arrive.

Lexa added another finger and picked up her pace while licking Clarke's clit in a circular motion.

"I'm gonna...I'm cumming!" Clarke yelled out before her body froze and her walls clenched.

Lexa helped her come down from her orgasm, then moved to lap at her center, licking her clean. Clarke put both hands on her cheeks.

"Come here" she whispered.

Lexa crawled up her body, unable to resist the urge to leave more kisses on the blonde's breasts. Her kisses moved up to Clarke's neck and landed on her lips.

Clarke wrapped her arms around her body and Lexa dropped her head on her chest, leaving one more kiss between her breasts. Their legs tangled together and Lexa draped an arm over Clarke's stomach.

"I love you" Lexa whispered into the newfound quiet of the room.

"I love you too" Clarke kissed her head, "I'm glad I lost my virginity to you"

"Me too" Lexa sighed contentedly and craned her neck to leave a kiss on the corner of Clarke's lips, "goodnight, baby" she whispered.

"Goodnight, beautiful"

They both fell asleep in each other's arms, their naked bodies fitting perfectly together and a small smile playing on their lips.

 

 


	28. Chapter 28

 

 

Lexa blinked her eyes open and the first thing she registered was the soft light streaming through the curtains which were slightly open. She then registered the feeling of Clarke's bare chest brushing against her own and of their legs entangled. The only thing making it possible to tell which leg was whose was the slightly more tanned complexion of Lexa's skin.

She blinked a few times and smiled softly as she watched Clarke's naked form, rising and falling in sync with the brunette's breathing. She moved her hand to brush her fingers along the expanse of her back, tracing down the girl's spine with her fingertips.

She let herself enjoy the feel of their bodies molding together while reduced to their purest form for a few more minutes before the urge to relieve her bladder became too strong and she couldn't ignore it anymore. She pressed a kiss to Clarke's temple and carefully slipped out of the blonde's hold. She heard a groan behind her and turned to see blue eyes looking back at her through half-closed eyelids.

"Come back to bed" the blonde hoarsed out.

"I just need to pee, I'll be right back"

Clarke nodded, her eyes closed again, ready to fall back asleep.

When Lexa came out of the bathroom, having brushed her teeth while she was there, she noticed that Clarke was asleep again. She took a few seconds to admire her girlfriend's body, bathed in the light of the early morning ; her beautiful curves, her perfect pale skin.

She slipped back under the covers, wrapping both arms around Clarke's waist and pulling the blonde closer to her before leaving delicate kisses over the soft skin of her neck. Clarke hummed in her sleep but didn't wake up. Lexa moved on top of her and her lips shifted to the girl's torso, adorning the top of her breasts with small kisses. She took a nipple between her lips and one of Clarke's hands tangled in brown curls.

"Don't start something you won't finish" she warned.

"I plan on finishing, don't worry" Lexa assured her before her head progressively disappeared under the covers.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

Anya squinted her eyes at them when they came down into the lobby of the hotel with beaming smiles and an glow only someone blind would have missed. Clarke slightly hid herself behind Lexa, shying away from Anya's intense stare. It was like the girl knew exactly what they had been up to last night. And this morning. Clarke couldn't help the smile that took over her features as she reminisced it but it quickly dropped when she saw the glare Anya was sending her way.

If the others had noticed anything out of the ordinary, they didn't comment on it. They all got into their respective cars and started the drive to the camping site which would last another five hours.

"Lessa! Up!" Aden extended his arms so she could lift him up.

She lowered him on her lap and passed the seatbelt over both of their bodies, keeping one arm around Aden's waist to keep him close to her body so he wouldn't hurt himself with the seatbelt which was placed rather tightly over them. Clarke dropped her head on Lexa's shoulder and fell asleep almost immediately.

After an hour, Aden complained that he was bored. Lexa rummaged through their bags and took the liberty to carefully tear a page of Clarke's notebook and hand it to Aden with some colored pencils so he could draw for a bit. She knew her girlfriend wouldn't mind.

Aden drew seven stick figures. A little one and six taller ones. He took a yellow pencil to draw his own hair and what looked to be Clarke's, Jake's and Anya's. He did the same with the brown pencil for Lexa's hair as well as Abby's and Indra's. He then started drawing their clothes. It was far from being a masterpiece but Aden seemed to enjoy drawing very much and Lexa couldn't help but smile at his excitement.

"What color?" He asked Lexa when he got to Anya's clothes. Anya wasn't in the car with them so there was no way for him to know what she was wearing right now.

"Black" Lexa answered. She didn't remember what Anya had been wearing but 90% of the girl's clothes were black so there was a strong possibility that she was right.

Aden finished his drawing and looked at it with pride. He handed it to Lexa so she could see better.

"It's beautiful, buddy" she kissed his hair.

"Write the names" Aden told her, handing her a black pencil, "please" he added as an afterthought.

Lexa grabbed the pencil and started writing the names Aden gave her ; **Mom** , **Dad** , **Me** , **Clawke** , **Lessa** , **Anya** , **Lessa's momma**. The small rise and fall of her shoulder as she wrote the names woke Clarke up. The blonde let out a groan and she rubbed her eyes.

"Sorry, baby. I didn't mean to wake you up" Lexa said when she noticed her girlfriend wasn't sleeping on her shoulder anymore.

"It's fine" she brushed it off, "what are you doing?"

Aden took the drawing in his hands and showed it to Clarke, smiling from ear to ear.

"It's amazing, Aden" Clarke smiled warmly at him.

"Your turn" Aden said as he handed her the colored pencils.

"Oh, okay. What should I draw?"

"Lessa!" Aden yelled.

"You want me to draw Lexa?" Aden nodded quickly and Clarke asked Lexa to not move too much so she could draw her.

Seeing everyone was awake, Jake turned on the radio and Lexa and Aden started singing along to whatever song was on to pass the time.

An hour later, Clarke was tracing the last few lines. Unbeknownst to the boy, she had drawn him as well. She couldn't resist doing so when the image of Lexa with Aden on her lap looked so adorable. She turned the sketchbook around and smiled at the look that took over Aden's features. It was a mixture of surprise and wonderment. He brushed his fingertips over the drawing and looked back at Clarke, beaming.

"It's me?" He said, pointing at himself on the sheet of paper.

"It's you" Clarke confirmed, smiling back.

Aden reached forward with his arms and Lexa unbuckled the seatbelt so he could wrap his small arms around Clarke's neck.

"Thank you" he whispered against her ear, "it's beautiful. You're beautiful too" he left a wet kiss on her cheek.

Tears brimmed at the corner of Clarke's eyes and she hastily wiped them away, her lips curling into a small smile. She glanced at Lexa and noticed that the brunette had the same soft expression on her face.

"Thank you, Aden" she kissed his forehead and held him close to her chest. She was so glad the boy was part of their family.

 

 

\--------------------------

 

 

"We're here" Jake said after he had stopped the car. Upon hearing no answer, he turned around and was met with the heartwarming sight of the three others sleeping, cuddled up to each other.

Aden was curled up in Clarke's arms and Lexa's face was nuzzled into Clarke's neck, her right arm hidden behind Clarke and her left arm coming to wrap around Aden and Clarke's sleeping forms.

He took a quick photo, then, as much as he hated disturbing their peaceful sleep, he gently woke them up, informing them of their arrival at the camping site. Aden eagerly climbed out of the car and ran around, taking in the unknown surroundings. He let out a yelp when Jake picked him up and held him in his arms. The man then set off on a run, a laughing Aden bouncing slightly with each step. Clarke and Lexa stayed a few more minutes inside the car, cuddled up to each other.

Clarke raised her head from where it was resting against the brunette's chest and connected their lips in a slow kiss. Lexa's hands slipped under the blonde's shirt and roamed the skin of her back in a back and forth motion along the distance between the bottom of Clarke's spine and the clasp of her bra. Clarke changed the angle of the kiss and settled into Lexa's lap, bringing her hands to frame the brunette's cheeks. The kiss was sweet yet passionate. Lexa pulled away to catch her breath and a little over a second later, her lips were sucking on the blonde's bottom lip, teeth biting at it and pulling gently, drawing a moan from her girlfriend.

A knock on the window interrupted their impromptu make-out session and they blushed when they saw Anya looking at them through the glass with a disapproving frown. Clarke got off of Lexa's lap and they hurriedly fixed their hair before joining the others outside, purposely avoiding to meet Anya's eyes.

Each carried one bag and the material to build their tent. Once again, Clarke and Lexa would spend the night together, sharing one tent. The biggest one was for Abby, Jake and Aden and the others both had individual tents. They had found the perfect spot nearby the lake but not too close either. Clarke was thankful Lexa was there to help her through the process of building a tent because she had no idea how it worked. Clarke wasn't exactly what you could call an outdoorsy person. She liked sleeping in a warm bed with comfy blankets. Despite all of that, she still liked camping. She had gone twice with her family already. She was glad she could share the experience with her girlfriend this time.

"Clarke honey, could you get the sleeping bags in the car, please?" Abby called out.

"On it!" Clarke shouted back. Lexa got up and accompanied her to the car. No one questioned it. They had become accustomed to it. Wherever Clarke goes, Lexa follows and vice-versa.

"You need some help?" Lexa asked when she saw the blonde struggle to carry all the bags.

"That would be great, thanks" Clarke pecked her lips as she handed her three sleeping bags and took the three others herself. Aden would sleep with Jake in his.

Lexa smiled and followed her back to their camp, a small bounce to her steps as she gleefully thought of what the next few days would consist of.

 

 

\--------------------------

 

 

"Alright, who's up for a swim?" Jake asked.

Anya, Lexa and Clarke all responded with a yes. Abby and Indra said they would rather rest after driving for so long and they headed towards their tents. Jake was hesitant to let Aden in the lake at first but Lexa showed him the inflatable swimming armbands she had brought with and promised that they would stay with the boy at all times thus the man agreed to let Aden come with them.

Lexa walked on the wooden deck and got closer to the edge, watching as the waves crashed against the pillars. She looked behind her and saw Clarke in a marine blue bikini that left little to the imagination. She tripped over her own feet at the sight and fell into the water with a big splash.

Clarke ran to the edge of the deck and held out her hand for Lexa to take, her lips curved in a smirk at the realization of just why Lexa had tripped. Lexa mumbled a thanks, too busy trying to get her cheeks back to their usual color. She shot a glare at Anya when her sister muttered _'useless lesbian'_ and shook her head at Lexa.

Clarke took her face in her hands and kissed her deeply. Lexa's eyes slammed shut and her eyebrows shot up in surprise as her hands tentatively found purchase on the blonde's hips.

"For someone who's seen me naked, you sure reacted strongly to seeing me in a bikini" Clarke whispered, laughing, when she pulled away.

"Stooop" Lexa whined and dropped her head on Clarke's shoulder.

"You're freaking adorable" Clarke cooed.

"It was ridiculous" Lexa sighed. Clarke shook her head and placed her index finger under Lexa's chin, tilting it up and locking their lips.

"Stop kissing and get in the water already" Jake yelled from where he was playing with Aden in the lake.

Clarke rolled her eyes and placed one last kiss on Lexa's lips before helping the brunette get out of her now soaked clothes. Clarke's eyes roamed her girlfriend's body and stopped on her well-defined abs, her mouth opening slightly at the sight.

"Blondie, stop drooling on my sister's abs" Anya yelled.

Clarke flushed, "I wasn't...uh.."

"Save it" Anya rolled her eyes but the small smile playing on her lips betrayed her hidden amusement.

Lexa grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss on the back of it before letting go and jumping into the lake, splashing water on Jake and Aden. The little boy shrieked when the cold water hit his face and tried to get some kind of revenge on the brunette. When the girl emerged from underwater, he pushed some water with his hand towards the girl. Unfortunately, he didn't have enough strength and only a few drops reached Lexa. Lexa laughed and lifted him in the air, spinning him around. The water was slowing her movements but Aden was laughing despite the lack of speed.

Clarke sat on the deck and hesitantly put her legs in the water. She hissed at how cold it was.

"Come on, babe! Join us!" Lexa shouted at her.

"It's too cold!" Clarke shouted back. Lexa rolled her eyes and left Aden under Jake's watch before swimming back towards her girlfriend. She rested her arms on the deck, looking up at the blonde.

"You'll get used to the temperature once you've been in it for a few seconds" she assured Clarke.

Clarke dipped her leg further into the lake but retracted it almost immediately, "Nope, I can't"

Lexa suddenly had an idea and she smiled at Clarke mischeviously.

"I'm sorry, Clarke"

"What are you- oh no!" Clarke yelled when Lexa grabbed under her arms and pulled the blonde into the water with her.

Clarke spat some water as she came back to the surface, "you traitor" she pointed an accusing finger at Lexa.

Lexa laughed and tried to get closer but Clarke put a hand on her chest to stop her.

"I'm sorry, babe. Will you forgive me?" Lexa pleaded with puppy eyes.

"Ugh, don't look at me like that"

Lexa broke character for a few seconds as a smile broke free, then she pouted at Clarke. Clarke groaned and retracted her hand, allowing the brunette to take her into her arms. Clarke put her arms around Lexa's neck and clung to her until Anya splashed water on the both of them, telling them to _'stop being so gay'_

Aden moved his arms in an attempt to swim towards the girls but his effort was useless. Jake lifted the boy and walked him there instead. He lowered him onto the water next to Lexa. The boy climbed on her back and wrapped his legs around her waist and his arms around her neck. It was complicated for Lexa to swim with him clinging to her like that but she managed it. She kept him there as he yelled out instructions as to where to go. Clarke followed them with a fond smile and occasionally stole a kiss from Lexa.

After thirty minutes, Anya offered to play with the boy. The older girl had taken a liking at the boy and it seemed Aden enjoyed her presence as well.

"They seem to go along very well" Clarke remarked when she saw Anya laughing, holding a beaming Aden in her arms.

"Yeah..I never thought I would see the day Anya smiles around a kid" Lexa smiled when she thought of the many times Anya had expressed her disdain for young kids, complaining about how loud and annoying they were.

Lexa moved behind Clarke and dove underwater. Before the blonde could react, she had gripped her thighs and gone back to a standing position, Clarke now on her shoulders. Clarke let out a yelp as she momentarily lost her balance before Lexa secured her arms more tightly around her legs. Clarke put her hands on Lexa's head as it was the only thing she could hold on to.

"Don't you dare drop me" Clarke warned.

"I won't" Lexa turned her head slightly to press a kiss to the inside of Clarke's thigh.

She walked them around for a bit, trying not to think too much about how Clarke's bare skin was brushing against hers. She turned around, smirked discreetly then let go of Clarke's legs, making the girl fall into the water.

"You said you wouldn't do that!" Clarke furiously pointed out. Lexa's laughter stopped when she saw the anger in her girlfriend's eyes.

Lexa watched, remorse eating up at her, as Clarke took off and used the deck to push herself out of the water. _**Fix this you idiot,**_ she thought to herself.

"Clarke, wait!" She shouted at the retreating figure of her girlfriend, _"shit"_

She quickly got out of the water under the curious looks of the others except for Jake who had a knowing look on his face, sadness written all over his features. She put on her shoes and ran after Clarke. She found the blonde lying down in their tent, her back facing Lexa.

"Clarke?" she called in a small voice but got no answer.

She hesitantly got inside the tent and zipped it close behind her. She kneeled next to her girlfriend and tentatively dropped her hand on her shoulder. Clarke didn't react to the touch but she didn't move away either so Lexa took it as a good sign.

"Clarke, I'm sorry" she tried, "whatever it is, I'm sorry. Please look at me" she knew she sounded desperate but her girlfriend was still not looking at her and she was getting worried.

Clarke slowly turned around, her lips pressed into a thin line and her hands shaking slightly. She was crying, silently. Lexa lay down, facing her, and took Clarke's shaking hands in hers.

"What is it?" she carefully asked.

"It's stupid" Clarke said. Lexa could hear the lump in her throat as she spoke.

"It's not. Not if you reacted like this" she looked straight into Clarke's eyes.

She trailed her thumb over Clarke's cheek, rubbing soothing circles on it. Her eyes bore intensely into watery cerulean ones, "You can tell me anything" she whispered, shifting her head a bit closer to Clarke's.

Clarke took both of Lexa's hands in her own and brought them to her heart. Lexa's eyes widened at how fast Clarke's heart was beating.

"When I was twelve years old..." she started, "I had this friend...his name was Wells" she breathed deeply through her nose and Lexa squeezed her hands in comfort.

"Take your time" she told her.

"We...we were spending the summer with his family and" she cleared her throat and Lexa softly kissed her tears away then connected their foreheads, "we went to a lake, not this one but it was pretty similar and we were all playing together. At some point, his father took him on his shoulders, much like you did and..."

"Breathe, baby" Lexa whispered, noting how out of breath the blonde sounded. Clarke nodded and inhaled deeply.

"There was an accident" Clarke all but whispered, her bottom lip trembling.

"You don't have to tell me if you're not ready" Lexa brushed her nose against Clarke's.

"I need to get this off my chest" Clarke explained.

Lexa nodded and looked into Clarke's eyes, giving the girl her undivided attention.

"I don't know exactly what happened...he fell and there where th-those big rocks and" her increasing sobs were making it hard to speak and Lexa brought a hand to her cheek, gently caressing it, "he was taken to the hospital immediately b-but the d-damage to his head w-was too critical" her voice cracked on the last word and Lexa hugged her tightly against herself.

"I'm sorry" she whispered into Clarke's hair. Her heart broke for the girl currently in her arms. No one should have to face loss at such a young age. Even after spending so much time with Clarke, she realized they still had so much left to know about each other. They had a lifetime to remedy that.

Clarke cried into her shoulder, her tears forming a damp spot on the brunette's shirt and she let out a whimper or a hiccup from time to time.

"Shhh" Lexa tried to calm the girl, stroking her hair soothingly. She reached out to brush a strand of hair away from Clarke's face and kissed the space between the blonde's eyebrows.

Progressively, the blonde's whimpers became less frequent and her tears tampered off. She looked back at Lexa with glassy eyes, "I'm sorry if I scared you when I left earlier...It reminded me of that and I had to leave but I didn't realize how it must have felt for you to-"

"Hey, none of that, okay? It doesn't matter what I felt. You had every right to react the way you did. Don't ever apologize for something like that" Lexa caressed her face with her fingertips.

"Remember when I first met you, when I told you I had been the new kid once?"

Lexa nodded.

"It was because of that. Wells's father was the principal and I couldn't handle the pain of having to see him at school when he reminded me of my best friend. I think it was hard for him too to have to see the person who used to be his son's best friend everyday. We moved to Arkadia and we have lived here ever since"

Lexa kissed her forehead, lingering for a few seconds, then kissed her lips ever so gently, almost as if she would break Clarke if she applied more pressure. Not because she thought Clarke was a fragile little thing, but because this moment was about comforting the blonde and not taking advantage of her sadness. Lexa tried to convey her thoughts through this kiss

 

_I'm here_

_you'll always have me_

_I love you_

 

"You want to go back to the others?" Lexa softly asked.

"Can you just....can you just hold me?"

The raw emotion and the vulnerability she could see in blue orbs made Lexa fall even deeper in love with Clarke and she knew then, she knew she would protect this girl for the rest of her life. Against the hardships of life, against the injustices of the world. They would have their fights, they wouldn't always agree on everything but all that mattered is that they would be together through it all. And nothing could change that.

She promised herself to never leave the house angry when they have a fight. To always work things through. She promised that to herself because Clarke had already been through a lot and Lexa wouldn't forgive herself if she was the cause of more of Clarke's pain.

"Whatever you need" she whispered in answer, hugging the blonde close to herself, wishing her arms could somehow protect the girl from the world.

 

 

\---------------------------

 

 

"Clarke, baby...you need to wake up" Lexa called softly.

Clarke rubbed her eyes. She didn't remember falling asleep but it made sense. Telling Lexa about Wells had really drained her energy.

Clarke grabbed the back of Lexa's neck and pulled her down to press their mouths together. Lexa breathed deeply through her nose and moved her lips slowly against Clarke's, melting into the kiss.

"Thank you for being here" Clarke whispered against her lips.

"I love you, Clarke. I want to be here for you"

"I love you too"

Lexa smiled and left one last kiss on pink lips before getting up.

"Stay" Clarke pouted.

"I'd love to but your dad said we would eat at a small restaurant not far from here. About that, isn't the whole point of camping to be away from civilization? Why would you eat in a restaurant?" Lexa frowned.

Clarke's lips curved upwards, "do you want to eat marshmallow for a week?"

".....no" Lexa admitted.

"Restaurant it is then" Clarke laughed. Lexa's heart jumped in her chest at the sound.

Clarke got up and grabbed Lexa's wrist, tugging at it and wrapping her arms around Lexa's neck. Lexa understood this was something Clarke needed and her arms circled around Clarke's waist. She dropped her head in the crook of Clarke's neck and left delicate kisses on it.

She swayed them gently and raised her head to press her lips on Clarke's nose, eliciting a giggle from the blonde. Lexa looked at her in adoration and silently thanked the universe for Clarke Griffin.

 

 

\---------------------------

 

 

When they returned to camp, they were all pretty exhausted. Jake grabbed Lexa's hand before she joined Clarke in their tent.

"We'll give her back to you in a minute" Abby whispered to Clarke and got a hum in response.

"What is it you wanted to talk ab-"

She was cut off when Jake wrapped his arms around her. Taken by surprise, it took her a couple seconds to reciprocate the hug.

"Thank you for being here for Clarke today" he said when he pulled away.

"Oh...uhh...sure" Lexa awkwardly replied.

"I don't know if she told you what happened with Wells but-"

"She did" Lexa interrupted Abby, "she told me" she clarified.

Abby nodded, "all I know is that the last time something triggered a memory of Wells in her, she wouldn't leave her room for days. But this time, she was quickly back to her usual joyful self"

"Time heals" Lexa said.

"It does but I think it's something else. I think it's you who helped her overcome it this time" Jake said.

Lexa didn't know what to answer to that but it looked like she didn't have to because Jake kept speaking.

"You are the best thing that has ever happened to our daughter, Lexa. I don't know what we did to deserve you in our lives"

"We want you to know how grateful we are to you and how much we love you" Abby chimed in.

Lexa was speechless. Her eyes were filled with unshed tears as she looked at the two adults who had become the parents she never asked for. Abby and Jake hugged the girl and retreated to their tent.

Lexa saw Indra approach her. It seemed her mother had heard the conversation. The woman put a hand on Lexa's cheek.

"I'm very proud of the woman you have become, Lexa" she smiled softly at her.

Lexa surged forward and hugged her mom with all her might. Even though she loved her children more than anything, it was rare for Indra to openly express it.

"I love you, mom"

"I love you too, Commander"

"Stop calling me that!" Lexa laughed.

"Never" Lexa could hear the smile in her mother's voice.

Indra held her for a few more seconds then smiled at her, pride written in her eyes, and left in the direction of her tent.

Lexa smiled to herself then joined her girlfriend in their tent. She slipped into her sleeping bag and closed her eyes. She thought Clarke was already asleep but the girl's voice made itself heard after a few seconds.

"Would you..." she trailed off.

"Would I what?" Lexa enquired.

"Can you sleep with me in my sleeping bag? I just...It feels weird to sleep without you holding me"

"I would like nothing more" Lexa whispered and she slipped behind Clarke in her sleeping bag, bringing both arms around the blonde's waist. The blonde let out a hum of contentment.

Lexa kissed Clarke's hair and moved it aside so she could press her lips to the nape of her neck.

"I love you" she whispered after a couple of minutes of silence but the only answer she received was the sound of Clarke's steady breathing. She smiled to herself and closed her eyes, falling asleep shortly after.

 

 


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is sadly slowly coming to an end. I'm thinking of adding about three more chapters. However I will not stop writing for this fandom and already have an idea for another fanfic. Thank you to everyone who is still reading this, it means a lot to me :)  
> Without further ado, here is chapter 29

 

 

 

"I'm tired" Clarke complained.

"We're almost there" Lexa encouraged her. Maybe almost was an understatement but they were at least halfway there.

This morning, Jake had the brilliant idea to suggest going on a hike. The contrast between Lexa's reaction and Clarke's was almost comical. The brunette had been thrilled while the blonde had groaned and walked right back inside her tent. After some convincing from Lexa which mainly consisted of a lot of kissing _(obviously)_ , Clarke begrudgingly agreed to come with. She was starting to regret that decision.

"Wait" Clarke panted as she sat on a rock.

"Come on, Clarke....the others are already far ahead"

"Well, sorry if I'm not as fit as you" Clarke huffed out, raising her arms in the air.

Lexa smiled slightly and walked closer. She turned around, her back facing Clarke, and crouched down.

"Hop on" she instructed.

"No Lex, I'll hurt you" Clarke refused.

"You won't" the brunette assured her.

Clarke hesitantly climbed on her back, clinging to her neck, and Lexa placed her arms under her thighs before resuming walking. Clarke couldn't deny that she was turned on by this show of strength and by the way the girl's muscles kept flexing each time she readjusted Clarke on her back. She started leaving kisses on the side of Lexa's neck, making the girl falter in her steps.

"Clarke!" She hissed out.

Clarke ignored her and nibbled at her earlobe, sucking it between her lips, eliciting an embarrassing whimper from Lexa. She chuckled a bit upon hearing the sound. Lexa tried to ignore the blush that erupted on her cheeks and the reaction of her body to the things Clarke was doing and kept walking. Clarke saw it as a challenge and licked from the base of Lexa's neck up to her pulsepoint, sucking on it.

Suddenly, Lexa dropped her on the ground and turned around. The brunette bent slightly and placed her hands under Clarke's thighs, lifting her with next to no effort.

"Fuck" Clarke whispered, heat shooting to her center.

Lexa strode forward and Clarke felt her back collide with the trunk of a tree. Her moan was muffled by Lexa's lips on hers, kissing her eagerly. Clarke had never witnessed this dominant side of her girlfriend, the girl always a bit reserved, but she was enjoying every second of it. Lexa's lips trailed down her neck then went back up to suck at Clarke's pulsepoint. Clarke's hands tangled in brown curls.

"Oh for fuck's sake! Not again!" They heard a voice yell out in the distance.

Lexa lowered Clarke to the ground and smiled sheepishly at Anya who rolled her eyes at her.

"Well now I know why you were so damn slow...you were too busy sucking faces with blondie over here" Anya smirked and turned back around, walking up the trail.

Lexa sat down, hiding behind the tree and buried her face in her hands.

"Well, that was awkward" Clarke said.

Somehow those kind of stuff seemed to keep happening to them. And Anya was always the unwilling witness of their makeout sessions.

"I don't think I can face her ever again" Lexa mumbled in her hands.

"Yeah, why don't we move far far into the mountains, change our names and raise llamas?" Clarke sarcastically suggested.

"Good idea. Let's do it" Lexa looked up at her, nodding.

Clarke laughed and poked her nose, "come on, get up, you dork"

Lexa scrunched up her nose adorably and shook her head, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"So now you don't want to move?" Clarke raised an eyebrow.

Lexa nodded but didn't say a word. Clarke sighed and tried to look sternly at her girlfriend but a smile broke free. She sat next to the brunette and Lexa dropped her head on her shoulder.

"You know we have to join the others at some point"

"Yeah, _at some point._ Not now" Lexa stubbornly argued.

"You're unbelievable"

"You love me" Lexa countered.

"I do?" Clarke joked and Lexa slapped her on the shoulder, drawing a giggle from the blonde. Clarke placed her index finger under Lexa's chin and tilted it up so she could kiss her.

"What was that for?" Lexa asked when they pulled away.

"You were being cute" Clarke shrugged.

"Am I cute enough to get another kiss?" Lexa asked, batting her eyelashes.

"Don't push your luck" Lexa's body slumped down against the tree in defeat and she pouted.

Clarke held off five seconds before connecting their lips. _Five seconds. **How pathetic,**_ she thought.

Lexa grinned, trapping her tongue between her teeth as she did so, and pumped her fist in the air in victory. **_Freaking adorable_** , Clarke shook her head, smiling.

"Come here" Lexa opened her legs so Clarke could sit between them.

Clarke settled between Lexa's legs and dropped her head on the girl's chest. She closed her eyes when she felt Lexa's arms wrap around her waist. Those were her favorite kind of moments ; in Lexa's arms as the only sounds they could hear were the birds chirping, the wind blowing in the trees and... ** _footsteps?_ ** Clarke cracked an eye open and saw her dad approaching them.

"There you are, girls! How cute, you're taking a nap" he playfully said.

Clarke groaned and closed her eyes again, wishing she could be back to ten seconds ago when everything was nice and quiet.

"Why hello, I'm happy to see you too, Clarke" Jake said sarcastically. Lexa let out a chuckle at the man's antics and nudged Clarke so she would move.

"Nope. You wanted to sit here" Clarke pointed out, "now we stay" she stubbornly affirmed.

She yelped in surprise when Jake bent down and lifted her, holding her upside down over his shoulder.

"Let go of me" she balled her fists and hit the lower part of his back.

"And what would be the fun in that?" He laughed and winked at Lexa.

Clarke gave up trying to get him to let her go and let herself be carried while Lexa tried really hard to stiffle her laughter. Clarke shot her a glare and mouthed _'traitor'_ at her. Lexa just shrugged and grinned.

"Also, why was Anya scowling when she came back from searching for you two?" Jake asked.

"Uhhh...I have no idea" Lexa scrapped the back of her neck, smiling nervously.

"Your girlfriend is a terrible liar, Clarke" Jake told his daughter.

"Tell me something I don't know" Clarke told him and smiled at her girlfriend.

 

 

\---------------------------

 

 

"This is actually beautiful" Clarke breathed out once they reached the top of the mountain.

"Told you" Lexa smirked beside her.

"Yeah, yeah, don't look so smug" Clarke told her. Lexa laughed and kissed her cheek. She turned towards the landscape and pulled out her camera. From their spot, you had a view over the entirety of the small village situated at the bottom of the mountains, as well as a view of the huge lake that surrounded the valley. Lexa took a few shots then sat next to Clarke on a rock, dropping her hand next to the blonde's and intertwining their pinky fingers.

"I'm so sweaty. I feel so gross" Clarke complained.

"You're beautiful" Lexa whispered.

Clarke smiled at her and dropped her head on her shoulder, "how is it you always say the sweetest things?"

"It's natural to me when it comes to you"

"Stop, you're making me blush. Wait no, my cheeks are red because of the hike you forced me to go on, actually" she threw an unamused glare at Lexa.

"Is there a way to make you forgive me?" Lexa raised an eyebrow.

"I can think of a thing or two" Clarke teased before craning her neck to connect their lips. She frowned when her lips hit something else and she opened her eyes to see that Anya had slipped a hand between their lips.

"Stop being so damn gay" Anya said before retracting her hand and wiping it on Clarke's shirt.

"Hey!" Clarke protested and smack Anya's hand away. The older girl ruffled her hair then left, smirking. Clarke huffed and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Your sister is rude"

Lexa laughed and briefly captured Clarke's lips in her own, kissing the girl's pout away.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

Clarke was about to enter their tent when Lexa stopped her. The blonde looked at her questioningly and watched as Lexa rummaged through the trunk of the car, retrieving her guitar. The brunette took her hand and walked them to the deck on which she sat, a few meters away from the water, and prompted Clarke to do the same. All the others were sleeping so it was only the two of them.

Clarke sighed in wonderment when she saw the sky take on red, orange and yellow shades. They sat side by side, watching the sunset for a few minutes before Lexa started strumming her guitar, tuning it. Once it was done, she looked back at Clarke and positioned her fingers on the strings. She looked at Clarke's face, slightly bathed in orange light, and started playing a familiar rhythm.

 

 

> _When I look into your eyes_
> 
> _It's like watching the nightsky_
> 
> _Or a beautiful sunrise_
> 
> _There's so much they hold_

 

She started softly singing the lyrics and Clarke smiled at her, completely enamored by the girl sitting in front of her.

 

 

> _And just like them old stars_
> 
> _I see that you've come so far_
> 
> _To be right where you are_
> 
> _How old is your soul?_

 

Jake hadn't been able to sleep and he had gone out to get some fresh air. When he had caught a glimpse of two figures sitting on the desk, he had quickly went back in to get his camera. The moment was beautiful and it needed to be captured. He got closer and took multiple shots of them, Lexa's eyes boring into Clarke's and the soft glow of the sunset behind them being the only source of light. Jake smiled at the pictures he had taken and walked a bit closer to hear better what Lexa was playing. He teared up when he heard Lexa's sweet voice singing ever so softly to his daughter.

 

 

> _I won't give up on us_
> 
> _Even if the skies get rough_
> 
> _I'm giving you all my love_
> 
> _I'm still looking up_

 

Jake wiped at his tears and went back to his tent, a smile playing on his lips until he fell asleep.

Meanwhile on the deck, each second that passed by, Clarke was falling deeper and deeper in love with the girl currently singing for her.

 

 

> _So I won't give up on us_
> 
> _Even if the skies get rough_
> 
> _I'm giving you all my love_
> 
> _I'm still looking up_

 

Lexa strummed the last note and slowly took her guitar off of her neck and placed it beside her. She looked up and they stared at each other for a few seconds before Clarke's hands cupped her cheeks with the utmost gentlness and delicately brushed her lips against Lexa's plump ones. Fireworks exploded behind Lexa's eyelids at the contact. The kiss started soft, their lips slowly gliding over the other.

They kept it chaste for a few more seconds before the need to feel each other became too strong. Lexa's tongue darted out and she licked along Clarke's bottom lip. The blonde opened her mouth to allow access and their tongues brushed together. Lexa let out a hum of contentment.

Clarke wrapped her arms loosely around Lexa's neck and pushed with her body until Lexa was lying on her back, Clarke's body pressed against her own as their lips found one another again.

"I love you" Clarke whispered in Lexa's ear and she whispered those three words again many more times that night.

She whispered them when Lexa carried her towards their tent which was far enough from the others so that no one would hear them, when she kissed down Lexa's neck and sucked on her pulsepoint.

She whispered them when they slowly undressed each other, taking the time to admire their naked bodies, their eyes raking over bare skin and soft curves.

She whispered them when she kissed her way down the brunette's body, her hands caressing the skin of Lexa's stomach, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

She whispered them when Lexa came undone on her tongue and fingers, their labored breathings filling the tent and when their moans mixed together as they kissed each other passionately.

She yelled them out when Lexa pushed her over the edge, her fingers threading through brunette curls while she linked her other hand with Lexa's which was resting next to the blonde's hip, slipping her fingers between the brunette's and holding onto her hand tightly.

And she whispered them right before she fell asleep in the arms of the love of her life, her heart threatening to explode from how much love she felt for this amazing girl.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

Every good thing comes to an end and they had to pack their things because they would drive back to Arkadia in a couple of hours.

"baby, wake up" Lexa whispered, peppering Clarke's face with small kisses.

Clarke grumbled, opened one eye and mumbled _'no'_ before closing it again. Lexa laughed and moved her kisses to Clarke's neck, earning a muffled moan from the blonde.

"Not fair" Clarke mumbled against the pillow.

Lexa ignored her and continued her descent until she was nibbling on Clarke's collarbone. The blonde's hand grabbed her face and pulled her up to join their lips.

"Good morning" Lexa whispered cheerfully against her lips, a bright smile on her face.

"How do you always have so much energy in the morning?" Clarke squinted her eyes, fighting to stay awake despite her heavy eyelids.

Lexa shrugged and tickled Clarke's sides to keep her from falling back asleep.

"Stop..st-stop!" Clarke yelled, rolling away from Lexa's reach.

"Now you're up" Lexa smirked, "you're welcome"

"Whatever" Clarke grumbled and Lexa bent down to press a quick kiss to her lips.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

Clarke, Lexa and Aden climbed into the car and this time Abby joined them. Lexa was dozing off after five minutes and Clarke would have considered teasing her about it if she didn't feel exhausted as well.

Ten minutes after they started the car, Abby chanced a glance at the backseat because it had been quiet for a while and she smiled upon seeing the three kids cuddle up together, soundly sleeping.

They didn't stop at a hotel this time because they all wanted to be home as quickly as possible. The kids had spent most of the drive home sleeping and Lexa was the only one awake when they pulled up in Clarke's driveway. She gently shook the two others awake and after unloading the truck, they all headed to bed for a goodnight sleep, Jake kissing Clarke and Lexa's heads before grabbing Aden's hand and joining Abby in their bedroom.

Clarke dropped head first onto her pillows as soon as she entered her bedroom. Lexa laughed and climbed beside her. Clarke turned on her side and kissed her, gently, as if they had all the time in the world.

"It's good to be back" Clarke whispered.

"It's good to be back" Lexa agreed, nodding as she wrapped her arms around Clarke's body and buried her face into the blonde's neck, pressing a light kiss on the skin there.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

The next couple of months passed by in a blur and soon there were two things on their mind : their senior prom and college applications.

Clarke had insisted that Lexa comes dress shopping with her so they would match so here was Lexa, following Clarke around in the store and watching her try on dress after dress while carrying the ones Clarke had picked out for the brunette because apparently she would _'look adorable in those'_

Lexa couldn't complain. Each dress Clarke tried on was more beautiful than the previous one and Lexa was fighting the urge to push Clarke into one of the changing stalls and capture her tentalizing lips in hers.

"Hm what?" Lexa looked up when she registered Clarke had asked her a question. Clarke raised an eyebrow, not oblivious to the fact that Lexa had been checking her out for the past five minutes.

"Eyes are up here" she teased when she saw Lexa's eyes drop to her cleavage.

Lexa averted her eyes from the blonde's chest and blushed furiously. Clarke rolled her eyes fondly and grabbed Lexa's hand, pulling her inside the stall and closing the door behind them. She shoved Lexa against the wall and gripped the collar of the girl's shirt, aggressively bringing their lips together in a clash of teeth and tongues. Lexa moaned against her lips and reversed their position, Clarke's body colliding with the wall as Lexa's lips attached to her neck.

"Is everything alright?" An employee asked from the other side of the door, completely oblivious as to what he had just interrupted.

Despite the interruption, Lexa continued sucking on Clarke's neck and the blonde had to suppress a moan when she replied to the employee's question.

"Y-yes...everything's fi-ine!" her voice took on a higher tone when Lexa bit at her earlobe and she could feel the brunette smirking against her ear.

"Are you sure?" The employee asked out of concern and god, Clarke really wished he wouldn't be so polite right now.

By the time he finished asking his question, Lexa's hands had reached for Clarke's covered breasts, fondling them while plump lips closed around Clarke's earlobe and sucked lightly on it.

"Y-yes...I'm sure" she closed her eyes and prayed for him to leave.

She let out a sigh of relief when she heard the fading sound of his footsteps. She shoved Lexa away and pointed a finger at her, "you.."

"Me" Lexa smirked.

"You" Clarke repeated, stepping closer, "you asshole!" She slapped Lexa's chest, "he could have heard us!"

"Well good thing you kept quiet then" Lexa's smirk turned into a soft smile and she grabbed Clarke's hands, kissing the palm of each one, "I'm sorry" she whispered against Clarke's skin.

Clarke crossed her arms and tried really hard to be mad at her girlfriend but how could she when Lexa looked at her like that?

"When have you turned into such a cocky person?" Clarke raised an eyebrow, smiling to tell Lexa she wasn't saying this as an insult.

"Since I have the most beautiful girlfriend in the universe and I want everyone to know it"

"You won't get away with this by complimenting me"

"you sure about that?" Lexa challenged, stepping closer.

"A hundred percent" Clarke confirmed.

"You're beautiful" Lexa whispered in her ear before pulling back to look at the blonde and she watched as blue eyes softened for a second. **_Got her,_** Lexa thought.

She pressed her body against Clarke's and made eye contact with her as she let out her next words.

"You are the kindest, most talented and most gorgeous woman I know" she kept on, "your eyes are the most captivating thing I've ever seen. I could get lost in them"

She moved her head closer to Clarke's and watched the blonde's resolve crumbled under her stare. **_Almost._**

"I am so in love with you" she murmured and that was all it took for Clarke to join their lips, her hands shooting up to trace along Lexa's jaw. Lexa smiled into the kiss and her hands found purchase on curvy hips.

She detached their lips briefly to change the angle of the kiss and Clarke placed her hands on her chest to stop her from moving further. Clarke laughed at Lexa's look of disappointment, "I would love to continue this but we've been in there for a while and people will start wondering what we're doing"

Lexa nodded and smoothed out her shirt before slipping out of the stall, glancing at the employee from earlier whose eyes shifted from her to the door of the stall she had just come out of. He squinted his eyes at Lexa and the brunette gave him an awkward smile.

 

 

\---------------------------

 

 

An hour later they were finished buying their dresses and were heading back home.

"Oh by the way, Raven is throwing a party at her place tonight" Clarke said, "she told us we could come if we wanted to"

"Sure" Lexa shrugged, "just...no more moonshine, please?" She didn't want a repeat of last time.

"Why not? It was pretty funny last time you got drunk" Clarke poked her ribs.

 _"Funny for you"_ Lexa corrected, "not so much for me" she scowls at the memory.

"You were cute"

"I made a fool of myself"

"Still cute" Clarke shrugged, grinning.

 

 

\---------------------------

 

 

"Come in, come in!" Raven ushered them inside with a big smile, "I'm glad you could make it. Something to drink?"

"Just a beer for me" Lexa told her.

"Same thing for me" Clarke said.

Raven nodded and left towards the kitchen to get their drinks. She came back shortly after and handed the beers to them, both girls thanking her.

"Lexxaaa!" Jasper slurred, stumbling towards her, "you're reaaaally pretty"

"And really gay" she deadpanned, "We already went over that, Jasper"

"I tried" Jasper shrugged and caught a glimpse of Harper standing a few feet away, "Haaarper! You're reaally pretty" he repeated the same words he had served to Lexa mere seconds away. Lexa laughed and shook her head at him before grabbing Clarke's hand and leading them to the couch.

She took a seat next to Octavia and beckoned Clarke to sit on her lap. She placed her beer on a small table and wrapped both arms around her girlfriend, hugging her from behind, her chin resting on Clarke's shoulder.

"Are you always this disgustingly adorable?" Octavia asked. Clarke was about to answer when Octavia cut her off, "don't answer that, I already know you are" she smirked and took a sip of her beer.

"We're not that bad" Lexa argued.

Octavia raised an incredulous eyebrow at this and Clarke turned her head to leave a kiss on Lexa's lips, "we kind of are, baby" she told the brunette.

"I don't see you complaining" Lexa retorted.

"Oh I definitely am not complaining" Clarke smiled at her sweetly and Octavia pretended to gag beside them, gathering dirty looks from the couple.

Clarke turned in Lexa's lap and she and the brunette kept eye contact for a few seconds, their gazes shifting to the other's lips from time to time.

"Ugh, just bang her already" Octavia groaned.

"Octavia!" Lexa yelled, embarrassed by the bluntness of the girl's words.

"What? I can feel the sexual tension from here. You should totally bang already, you know, to alleviate the tension" Octavia shrugged.

"What makes you think we haven't done it yet?" Clarke wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and Lexa let out an adorable snort behind her. Octavia choked a bit on her drink.

"Oookay, I did not need to know that" Octavia said before getting up from the couch to get a refill.

Clarke raised an eyebrow at Lexa, "did you just snort?"

Lexa's cheeks turned red, "...no"

"You totally did!" Clarke exclaimed, "babe, that's so cute!" Clarke cooed and Lexa hid her face behind her hands.

Clarke pried her hands away from her eyes and kissed Lexa. She bit Lexa's bottom lip and it caused the brunette to melt deeper into the kiss.

"Lovebirds!" Octavia yelled, "we're playing never have I ever in the backyard. You coming?"

 

 

\---------------------------

 

 

They all made a circle and a cup filled with alcohol was placed in front of each person. The people playing were Raven, Octavia, Monty, Jasper, Harper, Luna, Clarke and Lexa.

"Who's first?" Octavia clapped her hands.

"I'll go" Clarke said, "Never have I ever been blackout drunk"

Raven, Octavia, Monty and Jasper all drank. No surprises there.

"Ok my turn" Octavia announced, "never have I ever had a crush on my best friend"

"Not fair" Clarke and Lexa mumbled in sync before taking a sip of their beers.

"Aw, they even talk in sync, how cute" Octavia teased.

"Shut up" Clarke mumbled against her cup.

"Never have I ever had a one-night-stand" Raven said.

Only Luna drank and all eyes turned to her.

"What? I can't help it if you're all losers who need to get laid more often" she smirked, "never have I ever caught my parents doing it"she added.

Monty's expression turned into one of disgust and he took a sip.

"Duuude" Jasper said.

"Yeah I know, I'm scarred for life"

"Never have I ever smoked weed" Harper smirked when Monty and Jasper drank.

"You're all doing this on purpose!" Jasper shouted, well on his way to get drunk.

"Don't worry, Jas, I have one where you won't have to drink" Harper told him, "never have I ever gone on a date with a girl"

The whole circle erupted in laughter when Jasper grumpily crossed his arms over his chest, then he seemed to realize something and pointed his finger at Harper.

"That means you haven't done it either! Why isn't anyone laughing at her?!" He shouted.

"Dude, I'm straight. That's why" Harper looked at him, unimpressed.

"Sorry, Jas. Sadly, you're the only loser here" Monty patted his shoulder.

"Traitor" Jasper muttered under his breath, "never have I ever had sex" he then announced.

 _"You're not helping your case there"_ Lexa whispered but everyone heard and fell back into another fit of laughter.

Everyone except Jasper drank and as she discreetly took a sip, Lexa tried to ignore the raised eyebrow that Luna aimed at her, a knowing smile on the girl's lips. She could blame her blush on the alcohol anyways. Clarke noticed and laughed at her girlfriend's embarrassement when it comes to such things. She dropped a quick kiss on her cheek and took the brunette's hand to link their fingers.

They played a few more rounds and Lexa could now feel the slight buzz of the alcohol. It was a nice feeling. She wasn't drunk yet and she knew that if she kept drinking she would be so she put down her cup and decided not to drink anymore for the remainder of the night. They all decided to put an end to the game before any of them passed out on the cold grass.

Lexa got up and steadied a slightly more buzzed Clarke by placing both hands on her hips. They all went back inside where the party was going full swing. A girl they had seen a few times at school but didn't really know approached Clarke and Lexa, her eyes fixed on Lexa the whole time. Clarke squinted her eyes at her but let it happen as the girl greeted them. Maybe she was just being paranoid.

"Hi! I'm Charlotte" she said in an overly excited voice, offering Lexa her hand to shake. Clarke wanted to roll her eyes when she once again noticed the girl's gaze lingering on Lexa. **_Yup, not paranoid._**

Lexa grabbed the extended hand with hers, completely oblivious to the fact that Clarke's blood was boiling in her veins when Charlotte held her girlfriend's hand for more than what was considered appropriate for a first meeting.

"I know we don't know each other but I've seen you play soccer and I wanted to tell you that you're really good" she batted her eyelashes at Lexa and gave her a charming smile.

Clarke rolled her eyes when Lexa didn't take notice of the blatant flirting and thanked the girl for the praise. Well, in Lexa's defense, the brunette had never been able to tell when someone was flirting with her.

Clarke linked her arm with Lexa's and watched as Charlotte frowned slightly then glanced at her for the first time. ** _Fucking finally,_** Clarke thought. Charlotte looked at her up and down with a scowl and raised an unimpressed eyebrow that Clarke would have missed had she not been paying close attention to the girl. Clarke repressed a huff of annoyance.

Lexa was still unaware of the tension building between the two and started asking Charlotte in what class she was. Clarke wanted to smack some clarity into Lexa's beautiful mind. Charlotte starting telling Lexa the story of her life. **_Like, seriously, who the fuck cares_ _that you have a little brother named Lee?_** Clarke bitterly thought to herself. She slid her arm down Lexa's arm and grabbed the brunette's hand. Lexa smiled at her and intertwined their fingers and Clarke could see Charlotte following the movements with her eyes.

She thought the girl had finally gotten the message but instead of backing off, she stared at Clarke challengly and placed a hand on Lexa's forearm. Clarke felt Lexa tense a bit at that but she also knew the brunette was too polite to say anything. Clarke rolled her eyes and squeezed Lexa's hand to get her attention.

"I'm so thirsty, _baby_ " she told the brunette, insisting on the term of endearment. Of course she wasn't thirsty. She just wanted Charlotte to take the freaking hint.

"You want me to get you some water?" Lexa softly asked her and Clarke nodded.

Lexa kissed the back of her hand and left in the direction of the kitchen, leaving Clarke alone with Charlotte. The girl looked less confident now that Lexa was gone. **_How surprising,_ ** Clarle rolled her eyes.

"You need to back off" Clarke cut right into it.

"I don't know what you're talking about" Charlotte said.

"Don't play dumb, you know exactly what you're doing" Clarke shot her a glare.

"And what is that? Please, enlighten me" Charlotte crossed her arms in front of her chest.

 ** _Is that a challenge?_** Clarke squinted her eyes and was about to go off on that girl when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Here is some water" Lexa smiled at her.

"Thank you, baby" Clarke kissed her cheek.

"So what did I miss?" Lexa asked.

 ** _Oh, sweet Lexa who still has no idea what's really going on here,_ ** Clarke smiled up at her girlfriend and took a gulp of her water before placing her cup on a nearby table.

"Nothing too important" Clarke lied, doing her best to look innocent even though she was two seconds away from strangling that Charlotte girl.

Charlotte was about to start speaking again when Clarke grabbed the collar of Lexa's shirt and pulled her in for a searing kiss. Lexa's hands flew in the air out of surprise and landed on Clarke's hips as she let out a hum, sending vibrations through Clarke's body.

Clarke pulled away and smirked at Charlotte, "sorry Charlotte but my girlfriend and I are going to head outside for a bit, isn't that right baby?"

"Uhh yeah" Lexa nodded, still a bit dazed from the kiss they had just shared.

Clarke tugged on Lexa's hand and looked behind her as they walked to throw a fake smile at Charlotte and to wink at her just to piss her off. **_Yeah, that was petty, so what?_** Clarke thought.

Charlotte huffed as she watched them leave and dropped down on the couch, taking a big gulp of vodka from her cup. Clarke was _gloating._

"Did she say something to you or was I just imagining the slight tension there was between you two when I came back?" Lexa asked.

"You were not imagining it" Clarke provided as an answer.

"Why?" Lexa frowned, "did she say something to you?"

"No but she clearly had a lot to say to you...or about you for that matter" Clarke mumbled.

"Are you...are you jealous?" Lexa's lips stretch into a smile.

"Me, jealous? Of her? Pfft, no" Clarke lied.

Lexa hummed while grinning, clearly not buying it, "you're hot when you're jealous"

"Does that mean I'm not usually hot?" Clarke teased, trailing her fingertips on Lexa's forearm and stepping closer, pressing her body against the brunette's.

"N-no...you're very uhh...very hot" Lexa stammered out. She was definitely turned on by now.

"Wanna get out of here?" Clarke whispered in her ear, the blonde's breath against her skin causing shivers to run through Lexa's body. The brunette nodded dumbly in answer and let herself be dragged outside by Clarke.

They walked home and immediately headed towards the bedroom, trying to be as quiet as possible. As soon as Clarke kicked the door closed, she was pressed against it and Lexa was ravishing her neck with bites and kisses.

Clarke pushed her towards the bed and shoved her on it before stradling the girl, one leg on each side of Lexa's waist. Clarke bent down to nip teasingly at Lexa's bottom lip. The brunette grabbed her hips and alterned their positions by skillfully flipping them around before reattaching her lips to Clarke's neck, grazing her teeth on it before gently biting the skin.

"Wait...wait" Clarke breathed out.

"Did I hurt you?" Lexa frowned in concern and checked Clarke's neck for any wound.

Clarke chuckled, "you didn't hurt me, baby. I just really need to pee"

"Way to kill the mood" Lexa pouted.

"I'm sorry. I'll be right back, I swear" she pecked Lexa's lips and ran to the bathroom.

When she came back inside the room, already taking off her shirt, she saw her girlfriend sprawled out on the bed, soundly asleep. She laughed and grabbed her phone to take a picture and send it to Octavia.

 

**_Clarkey - 1.20 AM_ **

**_That loser fell asleep when it was getting interesting...*sigh*_ **

 

**_Octavia - 1.22 AM_ **

**_Wgat a fuckingf loser_ **

 

Clarke chuckled. Octavia was clearly drunk and probably on her way to passing out in a random room of Raven's house. She climbed on the bed and slipped an arm around Lexa's waist, pressing her face into the brunette's neck. Her lips grazed the junction between Lexa's neck and shoulder before she too fell into the arms of Morpheus.

 

 


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking a bit longer to update. School has been crazy lately.  
> I finally found time to edit the chapter tonight so here it is :) I hope you'll like it

 

 

"Girls" Abby called for their attention, "I think it's time we discuss your College choices"

Clarke groaned internally but moved to sit at the table anyways. To be quite honest, she was scared at the prospect of being thrown into real life. She and Lexa would both turn eighteen in August and the blonde did not feel ready to face the responsabilities that come with adulthood. She wished she could be a teenager forever.

Lexa grabbed her hand as if sensing the blonde's discomfort and Clarke threw her a grateful smile. Abby grabbed pamphlets from her purse and lay them on the table for them to see. Clarke closed her eyes and sighed when she saw several pamphlets of medical programs. She didn't want to have this conversation with her mom but she knew that this time, she had to.

"Mom..." she cautiously said, "you know I don't want to go to med school...."

"Why not?" Abby frowned.

"I'm just not interested in it" Clarke took a big breath before resuming, "I want to be an artist" she stated confidently and Lexa gave her a sweet smile.

"....an artist? Clarke, I know you are talented but this is not a stable job.." Abby pinched the bridge of her nose.

"But this is what I want!" Clarke argued.

"I can't let you take such a risk, honey" Abby sighed and Clarke briskly rised from her seat, nearly knocking the chair to the floor in the process.

"Don't you _'honey'_ me, mom. I know you think this is for my own good but it's not. I _don't_ want to go to med school! Why is that so hard to understand?" She practically yelled, tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

Abby stared at her blankly, not knowing what to say. Lexa got up and gently grabbed Clarke's shoulders, guiding her towards the stairs and mouthing _'sorry'_ to Abby before disappearing upstairs with the fuming blonde. As soon as they entered the bedroom, Clarke started pacing.

"I can't believe her! _One thing_! I ask for one freaking thing!"

"Clarke"

"I don't want to go to med school, for fuck's sake!"

" _Clarke_ "

"I'm so tired of her making me feel like such a disappointment just because I want to do the things I love" her voice cracked on the last word.

"Clarke..." Lexa said in a soft voice.

"Why must she always-"

Her rant was cut off when Lexa surged forward and envelopped Clarke in her strong arms, placing a hand behind the girl's head, holding her close.

"Calm down, baby" Lexa whispered in her ear.

"I just...I just want to do what I love..." a single tear escaped the blonde's right eye.

"I know, Clarke. I'll go talk to her...unless you don't want me to?"

"You'd do that?" Clarke pulled away, wiping at her tears.

"Of course I would" Lexa smiled warmly and pecked the blonde's lips before walking down the stairs.

She found that Abby had not moved since they had left the room. She was sitting on a stool, her elbows resting on the dining table and her head dropped in her hands.

"Abby?" Lexa hesitantly said.

The older woman raised her head and looked warily at Lexa, probably bracing herself for the verbal onslaught she was about to undergo from Lexa. Lexa ran a hand through her hair and sat on the stool opposite Abby, looking straight into the woman's eyes as she spoke.

"I know that you believe you're doing the right thing and I know that I probably can't fully understand your way of thinking because I don't have a child myself but I can tell you other things. I can tell you that I love your daughter and that I will support her with whatever choice she makes. I can also tell you that art has been a passion of hers for a long time now and she's crazy talented which I'm sure you've noticed. It makes her happy and I don't think I am mistaken when I say that this is all you want for her. Yes, it is risky to go towards a more artistic career because of the lack of jobs in that area of work but if someone can pull that off, it's her. I believe in her and I know you do too so please, show it to her. Show her your support. Tell her that no matter what she chooses to do, you'll be there for her through it all. Tell her that nothing matters more than her happiness" Lexa finished, hoping she had managed to change Abby's mind.

The older woman had tears welling up in her eyes and her eyebrows were creased in deep thought. Lexa decided to give her some time to think and she walked in direction of the stairs. She bumped into Clarke, who had clearly been eavesdropping on their conversation, as she turned at the corner.

"Shit, sorry!" She placed her hands on Clarke's hips to keep her from falling and noticed the blonde's watery eyes, "what's wrong?" she immediately asked.

Clarke wrapped her arms around the brunette and Lexa cautiously returned the hug, bringing her arms to wrap around Clarke's waist. She ran her fingers along the blonde's spine.

"Thank you" Clarke whispered in her neck.

"What for?"

"What you said to my mom just now...except my dad, no one has...no one has ever believed in me that much and I just..." she wasn't able to finish her sentence as a lump had formed in her throat, emotion getting the best of her.

Lexa's arms thightened around her and the blonde found comfort and safety in the feeling of their bodies pressed together.

Lexa pulled away and took her girlfriend's hands in hers, "you should go talk to your mom" she whispered.

Clarke nodded and joined her mom in the kitchen, not without pecking Lexa's lips. Abby's head snapped up when Clarke plopped down on a stool. Lexa watched from afar as Abby apologized to her daughter and told her that she just wanted her to be happy. She watched with a smile as Clarke got up and hugged her mother.

She went upstairs to let them have some privacy and sat on the bed, waiting for Clarke to return. A couple minutes later, Clarke burst into the room and surged forward, throwing her arms around Lexa's neck, pushing the girl on her back as her lips found the brunette's in a hot kiss.

Lexa's hands settled on Clarke's hips before travelling down to grope the blonde's butt, giving it a small squeeze just because she could. She was getting turned on and she knew they had to cut it short or else she wouldn't be able to stop at all.

"Clarke we should- fuck" she was cut off when Clarke took her earlobe between her teeth.

"I agree, we should fuck" Clarke teasingly smirked down at the girl beneath her. Lexa slapped her on the chest and looked away with a blush.

"I'm just kidding" Clarke whispered before kissing Lexa's cheek. Her eyes then bore into emerald ones, "I love you"

"I love you more" Lexa smiled and leaned up to kiss Clarke.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

Lexa had her back against the headboard and Clarke was on her lap, typing on her computer to search for Universities that offer a good art program. Lexa had excitedly discussed the pros and cons of each University with Clarke, relishing in how happy Clarke was and trying not to think about the letter she had received a couple days ago.

Her mother had given her the letter on Thursday morning. It had been delivered to their mailbox. Lexa had been surprised to see that it was an acceptance letter -she hadn't yet applied to any Universities- but what almost caused her to have a heart attack was the content of the letter. Her high results and a recommandation from Principal Kane who had a few high placed contacts had convinced the University of Yale to offer her a full ride there. She hadn't told Clarke about it yet. Not because she didn't want her to know but because she wanted to be sure of what she would do before she informed Clarke of her decision. It didn't keep the letter from weighing heavily on her mind. At first, she had been thrilled about the offer but now, the more she talked with Clarke about College applications, the more she realised the true implications this letter brought and the less excited about it she became.

"How about this one? Polis University..." Clarke pointed at the screen, pulling Lexa away from her thoughts.

"Hm?" Lexa hummed.

"They have a great art program and it's less than fifty miles away from here" Clarke explained.

"It looks amazing, baby" Lexa smiled, ignoring the fear that settled in her stomach at the idea of being separated from Clarke.

"Look, you can also study law there! It's what you wanted to study, right?" Clarke turned her head slightly to look at her.

Lexa's head snapped up at that. It was true that she had wanted to follow in her mother's footsteps ever since the trial against Bellamy. She too wanted to be able to help people. She just didn't think many schools offered both a law program and an art program. But this one did and it changed everything. It ignited a spark of hope inside Lexa. The letter from Yale was long forgotten for it didn't matter anymore. Lexa let out a sigh of relief and instinctively tightened her arms around Clarke's waist, dropping her forehead in blonde hair.

"You feeling okay?" Clarke asked.

"I'm feeling perfect" Lexa smiled and reached out to bookmark the link of Polis University's website.

"You like it too?" Clarke placed the computer at the end of the bed.

Lexa hummed and her smile widened as Clarke turned on her lap and wrapped both arms around the brunette's neck.

"Should we ask my mom if she knows other good schools?" The blonde asked, leaning forward.

"Later" Lexa mumbled against Clarke's lips before capturing them in hers.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

"Fuck" Lexa muttered when she realised how late it was. She had told her mom she would be home by 8.30PM and it was already 9PM.

In her hurry to gather her stuff, Lexa hadn't noticed an enveloppe slipping from her bag and falling to the floor. By the time Clarke had noticed it, Lexa was already too far for her to return it. She scanned the enveloppe with her eyes and her eyebrows shot up in surprise when she saw the seal of the University of Yale.

The enveloppe had clearly already been opened as the paper was ripped. She knew she shouldn't pry but Clarke was now too curious to back away from this. She fearfully took out the neatly folded letter and started reading it. Each black-inked word broke her heart a bit more and she tried very hard to keep her tears at bay.

In a way, she felt proud of Lexa for getting a full-ride to Yale but that pride was outrun by how devastated she was at the realisation that they would be miles apart for their College years. The excitement of earlier was long gone now and had made place to a much less pleasant feeling.

A part of her also felt angry at her girlfriend for not mentioning this to her, for pretending she loved Polis University, for making her believe they wouldn't be apart. Before she knew it, tears were rolling down her eyes in a seemingly endless flow. She folded the letter and placed it on her desk with shaky hands, trying to control the volume of the heart wrenching sobs that wracked through her body.

She then lay on her bed and desperately tried to come up with a reason why Lexa would have kept this from her. Her whimpers and shaky exhales filled the silence of the room and after a few more minutes, she got up and hastily put on her jacket, determined to have a discussion with Lexa about this. She wiped at a few angry tears, picked up the letter and ignored her mother's curious look.

"Clarke? What's wrong? Where are you going?"

"At Lexa's" Clarke simply answered and before Abby could do anything, she bolted out of the house. She climbed inside her car and drove away.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

She knocked furiously on the Woods's door and impatiently waited for someone to open it. Anya's face came into her blurry vision and she walked past the older girl, climbing the stairs two by two.

"What the fuck" Anya yelled after her.

Clarke knocked on Lexa's door but decided against waiting for an answer. She barged into the room, startling Lexa who was standing right behind it, her hand outstretched, probably ready to open the door to whoever had knocked on it.

"Clarke?" She frowned upon seeing tears in blue eyes.

When Lexa tried to get closer, she was shoved backwards by Clarke's hands. The blonde fished out the letter from her pocket and held it up for Lexa to see.

"When were you going to tell me?" She angrily asked.

Lexa was taken aback and it took her a few seconds to grasp what was happening. When her mind caught up with the situation, her eyes grew twice their size and she tried to get closer to Clarke only to be once again pushed backwards.

"Answer my question, goddammit!" Clarke shouted through relentless tears.

"I can explain" Lexa cautiously told the blonde, "I was going to tell you, I swear"

"When, Lexa?" Clarke shouted, "when we receive our acceptance letters? When I would have had no time to prepare myself for the inevitability of us being apart for years!?"

Lexa watched as Clarke's lower lip trembled and a slim layer of tears formed in the brunette's eyes at seeing her girlfriend like that, "We're not going to be apart" She murmured.

"And also- _wait what?_ " Clarke stopped mid-sentence, her brain catching up with what Lexa had just said, "what are you on, Lexa? Yale is miles away from any of the Universities I have found!"

"Who said I'm going to Yale?" Lexa slightly raised the volume of her voice.

"Of course you're going to Yale, Lexa! Don't make this any more difficult for me than it already is, please..." Clarke's voice cracked and Lexa hesitantly stepped closer, grabbing Clarke's hands in hers.

"I'm not going to Yale" Lexa stated, certainty lacing her voice, "I don't want to go to Yale if you're not there" she tried to appease the blonde.

"But...I mean...it's Yale...I can't ask you to give up on your dream" Clarke hiccuped and Lexa wiped at the blonde's tears.

"You're not asking me to give up on my dream. Do you know why?"

Clarke shook her head and looked down. Lexa gently tilted her face up and cupped her cheeks, "because you are my dream" she pressed their foreheads together, "I'm not going anywhere" she then whispered.

Clarke's arms shot up to circle Lexa's waist and she cried into her shoulder, "I'm sorry" she repeated several times.

"Shhh.." Lexa ran her fingers through blonde curls, "by the way, I really loved Polis University" she added.

Clarke let out a watery laugh and pulled away to look into her girlfriend's sincere eyes. Lexa smiled softly at her.

"Let's just go to sleep, okay?" Lexa suggested.

Clarke nodded and let herself be guided towards the bed. They both lay down on their sides, facing each other.

Clarke was the first to break the silence, "you're really going to give up Yale for me?" she whispered unsurly.

"I'd give up anything for you, Clarke" Lexa whispered back.

"I love you" the blonde murmured, snuggling up closer to Lexa.

"I love you too" Lexa wrapped her arms around her girlfriend.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

"Alright, when I come down the stairs, you'll pretend to be surprised as if you haven't seen me in that dress before" Clarke instructed when they had finished getting ready for prom night.

Lexa laughed but did as told and headed downstairs, smoothing out her dress once she got to the bottom of the stairs.

"You look lovely, Lexa" Jake said from his seat on the couch.

"Thank you, Jake" she smiled and took a seat next to him.

"I know you have both been under a lot of pressure because of your finals and College applications so do me a favor and enjoy tonight as much as you can" he lightly patted her knee.

"We will" Lexa replied.

Jake was about to add something else but whatever he said was lost on Lexa because Clarke was now coming down the stairs and really, no pretending was needed because Lexa was always completely stunned whenever she saw Clarke. She still sometimes had difficulties realizing this beautiful girl right here had chosen her.

The brunette got up and reduced the distance between her girlfriend and herself, smiling brightly and looking at the blonde in awe, "you look perfect, Clarke" she whispered only for the blonde to hear.

Clarke was surprised that even now, after dating for several months, such sweet words from Lexa still managed to bring a blush on her cheeks.

"You do too" she threw the brunette a blinding smile and pecked her lips.

They tried to quietly exit the house without Abby noticing, knowing how much the older woman loved to take pictures, but no such luck. As they took a step towards the front door, Jake's voice echoed through the house.

"Abby! They're trying to sneak out!" He yelled.

"You snitch!" Clarke whispered loudly and Jake just shrugged with a smirk.

Abby all but ran down the stairs, her camera in hand.

"Come on, Mom...can we just go?" Clarke whined.

"Not on my watch, you can't" Abby shot back, "now smile for the camera" she instructed and Clarke and Lexa both gave her the fakest smile they could master.

"Those smiles were even less convincing than the ones the Obamas threw at Donald Trump and his wife on inauguration day" Jake deadpanned. Clarke laughed at the scowl that took over Lexa's features at the mention of the current presidential family.

The blonde threw an arm around her girlfriend's waist and pulled her closer, smiling up at her softly while Lexa was looking straight at the camera. The next picture that was taken was one that would quickly become Abby and Jake's favorite and the one Clarke loathed the most.

Right before Abby pressed on the capture button, Clarle had tripped with her heels and fell forward. Lexa had managed to catch the girl before she fell flat on the ground but the image captured on the camera was one where Clarke was mid-fall and her expression could only be described as pure panic while Lexa's eyes were wide open, her arms a bit blurry as she was moving to catch the blonde.

Both parents were laughing loudly while watching the picture and the two girls were glaring at them. Right when Clarke thought their laughter had died down, they took another look at the camera screen and erupted in another fit of laughter.

"This is...oh my God...this is great" Jake said through his laughter.

Clarke rolled her eyes, "well, have a goodnight. We're going" she announced grabbing her girlfriend's hand.

"Oh come on, don't be so butthurt, Clarke" Jake tried to stiffle his laughter to no avail.

The only answer he got was the slam of the door as the girls left the house.

A second later, the door opened again and Lexa quickly hugged both Griffins.

"Thank you" she whispered to the both of them, then joined Clarke outside.

"What was that for?" Clarke asked with a smile.

"I love your parents" Lexa shrugged.

Clarke left a kiss on her cheek and opened the car door for her.

"How chivalrous" Lexa smirked as she got inside.

Clarke settled in the driver's seat and took Lexa's left hand to intertwine their fingers over the console. She brushed her thumb over Lexa's knuckles and started the short drive to the building their school had reserved for tonight.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

As soon as they stepped outside their car, they were nearly attacked by Octavia and Raven who jumped at them immediately.

"Damn Woods, looking hot!" Octavia yelled.

"Thanks...I guess" Lexa scratched the back of her neck.

"Let's go inside" Raven grabbed Clarke's arm and dragged her with her. Clarke looked back at Lexa with a pleading look and Lexa shrugged and smiled as if saying _'don't look at me like that, I won't help you'_

Octavia linked her arm with Lexa's and they followed the two other girls inside. Lots of teenagers were already here, some of them were dancing but most of them were chatting in various areas of the room. Clarke spotted Lexa with Raven next to the table where they served non-alcoholic drinks -though knowing Jasper, alcohol probably won't be missing from those drinks by the end of the night- and she marched towards her girlfriend to wrap her arms around her waist, hugging her from behind.

"Hey, baby" she whispered in a sultry voice in the brunette's ear.

Lexa turned in the embrace and their chests brushed together as Lexa locked their lips in a hot kiss.

"Wow okay, keep some for tonight" Raven shouted at them over the music.

Clarke pulled away and frowned in question at the Latina girl.

"What? Don't tell me you don't know there are hotel rooms on the upper floor"

"There are hotel rooms on the upper floor?" Clarke's eyes widened and she gaped at Raven. Raven rolled her eyes and left without another word.

Clarke turned to look at Lexa, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Lexa laughed and fondly shook her head at her her girlfriend, "we told your parents we'd be back home after this" Lexa reminded her.

"They'll understand" Clarke shrugged.

"Clarke...we're not telling your parents that we're staying in a hotel so we can have sex..."

"Oh, is that what we're gonna do?" Clarke teased.

"Well, we're surely not going to play cards" Lexa retorted, drawing a laugh from Clarke.

"We'll finish this conversation later" Clarke said, "right now I want to dance with my beautiful girlfriend" she pulled Lexa to the dancefloor just as S&M by Rihanna started playing.

Clarke put both arms over Lexa's shoulders and moved her hips to the music. Lexa gaped at her for a few seconds before shaking herself out of whatever trance she had found herself in.

Clarke turned around and the blonde pressed her backside against Lexa's front in a grinding motion. Lexa let out a soft moan when Clarke's butt made contact with her center and her hands squeezed the blonde's hips a little tighter. She attached her lips to Clarke's neck and sucked on it in a way that was sure to leave a mark later. Clarke's left arm shot up and fingers tangled in brown curls.

Lexa turned her girlfriend back around and instantly trapped her bottom lip between her teeth, tugging at it. Clarke's hands travelled down Lexa's back and found their home on the girl's butt, giving it a small squeeze that had the brunette moaning softly into her mouth.

Lexa slowed the kiss and pulled away as the song came to an end, "I'm gonna get something to drink" she told Clarke. Clarke nodded and joined the rest of their friends who were dancing a bit further.

The rest of the night was spent dancing with their friends. As expected, the Queen and King of Prom Night were some football player and a cheerleader. _**How cliché,**_ Clarke thought as she grabbed Lexa's hand and led the girl outside.

"What are we doing here, Clarke?" Lexa shivered as the cold air of the night smacked against her skin.

"I needed some quiet" Clarke explained as she draped her arms around the brunette's shoulders and started swaying them gently.

"Clarke, there's no music" Lexa chuckled as her hands gripped the blonde's hips.

"Then sing me something" Clarke whispered.

"Oh...right now?" Lexa asked, unsure.

Clarke nodded, "I love your voice" she murmured. She noticed her girlfriend's hesitation and she quickly pecked her lips, "it's just me, don't worry" she whispered.

Lexa started singing softly, a bit unsettled at first because she didn't have her guitar to accompany her but she quickly gained in confidence when she noticed the soft smile forming on Clarke's lips.

 

> I found a love for me
> 
> Darling just dive right in
> 
> Follow my lead
> 
>  
> 
> I found a girl
> 
> Beautiful and sweet
> 
> I never knew you were the someone
> 
> Waiting for me

 

Clarke lowered her head on Lexa's shoulder and stepped closer, their bodies flushed together.

 

> Cause we were just kids when we fell in love
> 
> Not knowing what it was
> 
> I will not give you up this time
> 
>  
> 
> Darling just kiss me slow
> 
> Your heart is all I own
> 
> And in your eyes you're holding mine

 

The blonde left a kiss on Lexa's neck, causing shivers to travel through Lexa's body.

>  
> 
> Baby, I'm
> 
> Dancing in the dark
> 
> With you between my arms
> 
> Barefoot on the grass
> 
> Listening to our favorite song
> 
>  
> 
> When you said you looked a mess
> 
> I whispered underneath my breath
> 
> But you heard it
> 
> Darling, you look perfect tonight

 

Clarke pulled away slightly and joined their lips. She hummed against Lexa's lips and tangled her fingers in brown curls.

"Want to get a room?" Clarke whispered breahlessly. Lexa nodded dumbly and stood beside Clarke when the blonde checked them into the hotel. Clarke pulled out her phone before entering the hotel room. She shot her father a quick text.

 

**My best creation - 23.47 PM**

**Lexa and I will be staying in one of the rooms on the upper floor of the hotel**

 

**My creator - 23.48 PM**

**Get it, girl ;)**

 

Clarke blushed heavily when she read the text and Lexa exploded in laughter.

 

**My best creation - 23.49 PM**

**You're my dad. You're not supposed to say things like that...**

 

**My creator - 23.49 PM**

**When have I ever been a normal dad?**

 

Clarke chuckled and tucked her phone in her pocket before opening the door and grabbing the collar of Lexa's shirt in her fists, pulling the girl inside and kicking the door closed as she leaned in for a kiss. Lexa flipped them around and pushed Clarke against the door, pressing her body against the blonde's. Clarke let out a moan when her back collided with the hard surface.

She fumbled with the straps of Lexa's dress and pulled them down, exposing the brunette's chest as the material was now pooling at Lexa's feet. It wasn't long before Clarke's dress suffered the same fate and they were now standing in only their underwear, soft pants escaping their lips as their bodies moved together.

Lexa attached her lips to Clarke's neck and slipped a thigh between Clarke's legs to apply pressure on the girl's center.

"Fuck..." Clarke breathed out and her fingers pulled gently at Lexa's hair to detach the brunette's lips from her neck and lock their lips in a soft kiss instead.

"Bed" Clarke mumbled against Lexa's lips.

Lexa nodded before placing both hands under Clarke's tighs and lifting her up. Clarke brought her legs to circle around Lexa's waist and her arms wrapped around the girl's neck, "fuck, that was hot" she whispered before nibbling at Lexa's bottom lip while the brunette carried her with next to no difficulties to the bed. She lowered Clarke on it and instantly started kissing down the blonde's body. She took a moment to admire Clarke's bare chest, then took a nipple between her plump lips.

She then left a trail of kisses across the blonde's stomach only to crawl her way back up and suck on her girlfriend's pulsepoint. Clarke whined at her teasing and lifted her hips from the matress, trying to find some friction to alleviate the heat shooting through her center by grinding slightly on the brunette's thigh. Lexa smirked and retracted her thigh, drawing another whine from her girlfriend which was quickly silenced when Lexa pressed her lips against Clarke's pink ones.

Lexa kissed down her body while rolling a nipple between her fingers. She gently spread Clarke's legs before leaving loving kisses on the inside of her thighs, murmuring _'I love you'_ between each kiss.

"Please, baby..." Clarke pleaded.

Lexa hooked her fingers in Clarke's underwear and pulled it down her legs, letting it fall to the ground. She then went back to kissing Clarke's thighs, occasionally kissing right above the girl's clit.

"I swear, Lexa, if you don't fuck me right now, I'll _\- oh fuck!_ " She exclaimed, her eyes slamming shut, when Lexa gave a broad lick to her core.

Clarke pushed her hips into Lexa's face and the brunette continued to tease her with light licks through her folds without ever approaching the place the blonde needed her the most. Clarke was a writhing mess. She was aching in need and she yearned to feel more of Lexa.

Finally, she felt a tongue give a tentative lick to her clit and her fingers tangled in brown curls, "fuck, yes...right there" she whispered as she unconsciously rolled her hips into Lexa's face.

The blonde's moans increased in volume and her hands left the brunette's hair to grip the bedsheets tightly when Lexa sucked on the bundle of nerves, a finger running through the blonde's folds while her free hand grabbed one of Clarke's boobs.

"Holy f..." Clarke's words were lost in a moan when Lexa slowly inserted a finger and started a rhythm of slow thrusts.

The brunette added another finger after a few minutes and kissed Clarke's hipbones while building up the girl's orgasm. She knew Clarke was close so she curled her fingers inside and watched as the blonde's back arched from the bed, a loud moan escaping her lips when she came undone.

Lexa slowed the motion of her fingers to help Clarke come down from her high, then she pulled them out altogether and crawled up the blonde's body. She peppered Clarke's face with small kisses while the girl got her breathing back to normal.

She then pulled away slightly and laughed at the sight of Clarke sprawled out on the bed, looking very much like a starfish, but her laughter died in her throat when Clarke swiftly flipped them over, the blonde now on top, and kissed up and down the brunette's neck.

"Your turn" Clarke whispered seductively in Lexa's ear before beginning her descent on Lexa's body.

This was going to be a long night.

 

 


	31. Chapter 31

 

"Stop moving, Lex" Clarke chuckled.

"But it tickles"

Lexa craned her neck to briefly look at her girlfriend who was currently sat on the brunette's back, painting on it.  She had been going at it for almost a whole hour and although Lexa felt a slight ache in her back where Clarke was sitting, she wouldn't say a thing about it because she felt honored to be transformed into a human canvas under the talented hands of her girlfriend.

"I'm almost done" Clarke informed her before bending down and pressing a kiss to Lexa's shoulder on an area of it that wasn't covered in paint yet.

Lexa sighed contentedly as the paintbrush slid against her bare skin and after a few more minutes, the motion stopped and she heard the clatter of the paintbrush being dropped on the nightstand.

"Done" Clarke proudly announced, "let me just...take a picture" she said as she reached out for her phone.

She got off the brunette and pressed the button to capture the galaxy painted on Lexa's back. She then told Lexa she could sit up and she showed her the picture she had just taken.

"That's...wow...that is so beautiful, Clarke..." Lexa gaped at the screen.

Clarke blushed and started to pull the phone out of Lexa's sight but the brunette caught her wrist to hold the phone within her eyesight.

"Just...let me look at it a little more" she whispered as she kept admiring it.

She then suddenly got up and walked to the mirror, turning on herself and craning her neck on the side to try to catch a glimpse of Clarke's painting. Meanwhile, Clarke was having difficulties keeping her cool as she unashamedly oggled her girlfriend's bare chest.

"See something you like?" Lexa smirked when she caught her girlfriend's staring.

Clarke nodded and strode towards Lexa with purpose, wrapping her arms loosely around Lexa's neck and claiming the brunette's lips with hers, their lips moving softly against one another.

"Lessa!" Aden barged into the room and Clarke quickly moved to hide her half naked girlfriend with her body.

"Aden! Come here" the blonde lifted him up and carried him outside while Lexa carefully put her shirt on, trying not to smear too much the paint that was on her back.

"You should probably wash that off" Clarke told her, referring to the painting, when Lexa came back.

"What? But it's so beautiful!" Lexa argued.

"It's also not good for your skin to keep it on for too long. Come on, follow me"

Lexa pouted and Clarke promised her she would draw her another one whenever she wanted before pecking her lips and going inside the bathroom, Aden clinging to her neck. She washed off the paint then, as per the Aden's request, they headed towards a nearby park for children and both girls sat on a bench keeping a watchful eye on the young boy who had immediately ran to the slide. Lexa grinned widely when she heard the boy's loud laughter and she got up to join him, looking behind at Clarke, silently asking her if she wanted to come too. Clarke smiled and shook her head before pulling out her sketchbook as Lexa ran up to Aden and lifted him in the air, spinning around. She was rewarded by squeals of joy from him.

Lexa sat him on one of the swings and after making sure he was well secured, she walked behind him to gave him the necessary push to go higher.

"Higher, Lessa! Higher!" He shouted through his giggles.

Lexa happily obliged, prompted by the sounds of joy emaning from the boy and they kept at it for about five minutes before Lexa felt two arms wrapping around her middle. In her surprise, she almost forgot to pay attention to the swing and nearly avoided getting hit by it.

"Careful" Clarke whispered in her ear, her breath tickling the brunette's neck.

"You should be ashamed" a middle aged woman told them from where she was sitting on a bench in their vicinity.

"Excuse me?!" Clarke exclaimed.

Lexa immobilised the swing and lifted Aden from it while Clarke turned to face the woman. She held Aden close to her and the boy buried his face in her chest while warily looking at the older woman.

"There are children here who shouldn't be subjected to your atrocious choice of lifestyle" the woman spat the words, disgust lacing her words.

"Our _choice of lifestyle_ as you put it regards only us and it would be nice if you kept your unwelcome opinion to yourself"

Lexa walked a bit further and tried to cover Aden's ears while listening in on the conversation, ready to intervene if need be. She was trying to keep her anger at bay for the sake of Aden.

"I have the right to freedom of speech" the woman argued, scowling.

"So do I and I'm telling you to kindly go fuck yourself" Clarke was getting angry.

"You are just an abomination. If you had read the Bible you would know this is against God and you will both go to Hell"

Lexa rose to her feet at this and handed Aden to Clarke who carried him in her arms. Then, the brunette pointed an angry finger at the woman.

"If you had read the Bible as you claim to have, you would know that the book that condemns homosexuality is the same book that condemns the action of getting a tattoo and from the little butterfly tattooed on your wrist, I can very much tell you breached that rule. Looks like you'll be joining us in Hell" she finished before turning around, caressing Aden's cheek and placing a hand on Clarke's hip, guiding the three of them away from the woman who was gaping at her in astonishment.

Lexa was still fuming when she slumped down on the bench and angry tears were falling from her eyes. Aden climbed on her lap and clumsily wiped at her tears.

"Nooo don't cry" he kissed her cheeks one at a time and she let out a small watery chuckle, "don't cry, Lessa" he peppered her face with more kisses, "why are you crying, Lessa?" he asked, pouting.

Lexa shook her head and wrapped her arms around the boy, holding his head against her heart, "nothing important, little man....nothing important" she sniffed.

Clarke sat beside the brunette and took her hand in hers. Understanding her girlfriend's frustration, she offered her a small smile.

"Clawke?" Aden said in a tiny voice.

"Yes?"

"Can we buy Lessa ice cream to make her happy again?"

Both girl's hearts melted at this and Clarke happily nodded in answer while Lexa tried to contain the newly formed tears which were now falling for a totally different reason. She was so grateful for the little miracle of a boy she was currently holding.

"I love you, Lessa" Aden whispered, "please, don't cry"

Lexa nodded and pressed a kiss to his hair, "I love you too, Aden"

"What about me?" Clarke feigned hurt.

Aden reached out to wrap an arm around her neck, "I love you, Clawke"

"I love you too, buddy" she said, smiling down at him.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

Lexa laughed at the sight of Aden, quickly eating his ice cream, coting both sides of his mouth with some of it. She grabbed a napkin and bent over the table to clean off his face.

"Thank you, Lessa" Aden grinned at her before resuming eating.

Clarke smiled to herself when she noticed the fond look the brunette was sporting while she was gazing at Aden. They finished eating and set off on their way home when an elderly couple stopped them.

"Excuse me?" The lady asked, "could you please take a picture of us? You see my husband and I are celebrating our wedding anniversary. Fourty years today" she smiled at her husband.

"Of course. And congratulations to you both" Lexa smiled and took the offered camera.

"We could have taken it ourselves but we are not big fan of those pictures that you young people take...what is it called again?" The man wondered aloud.

"A selfie?" Clarke suggested.

"Yes! That's it!" he said as he stood next to his wife and placed a kiss on her cheek while Lexa captured it in a picture then handed the camera back to the couple.

"Thank you, dear" the woman smiled at Lexa, "how about we take one of the three of you in return?" She suggested.

"Yeah sure" Clarke shrugged and she pulled out her phone, giving it to the woman.

"Oh dear Lord, how does this work?" The woman muttered.

Lexa laughed and she stood beside the woman, telling her which buttons to press. Once it was done, she went back beside Clarke and held Aden in her arms while Clarke wrapped her right arm around the brunette's waist, hodling her close. After a few failed attempts and some groaning from the woman, the latter managed to take a picture and smiled as she looked at the result on the screen.

"You look lovely together" she told them when she gave them the phone back.

"Thank you" Clarke and Lexa answered in unison, smiling at each other.

Lexa leaned forward to peck Clarke's lips and the elderly woman let out an _'aww'_

"Oh dear, aren't they just adorable?" The woman gushed to her husband, placing both hands on her own cheeks.

"They are, my love" he answered, smiling.

"How long have you been together?" The woman asked.

"A little over six months" Lexa smiled at Clarke.

"Young love" the woman whispered wistfully, "well, it was amazing meeting you, girls" she said, walking closer to give them both a hug, "you too, little guy" she ruffled Aden's hair.

"It was nice meeting you too, ma'am" Lexa politely said.

"Oh don't make me sound so old, dear. Please, call me Jeanine"

"Well then it was nice meeting you, Jeanine" the brunette smiled.

"Have a good night" she nodded at them.

"You too" Clarke and Lexa said together before the woman linked her arms with her husband and walked away, looking back once more to throw them one last smile.

"She was _so_ nice" Clarke whispered.

"She really was" Lexa agreed, looking at the picture of the three of them with a smile.

They walked home together, each girl holding one of Aden's hands as he walked between them.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

"Today was great" Clarke whispered when they were lying face to face on her bed.

"It was" Lexa agreed before placing a kiss on the blonde's lips. Clarke could see in the way Lexa kept glancing at her that the brunette wanted to tell her something.

"What is it?" she softly asked.

"Being with Aden today...." Lexa started, "it made me think"

"Tell me" Clarke said, sensing her girlfriend's hesitation.

"I want kids" Lexa blurted out, "I really want kids"

"You do?" Clarke smiled.

Lexa nodded and took one of Clarke's hands in hers, playing with the blonde's fingers.

"With you" she continued, "I want kids with you. I want a whole future with you" her eyes were shining with unshed tears and honesty laced her words.

"Lexa..." Clarke wiped at a single tear of her own and placed a hand on Lexa's cheek, "I want that too"

She smiled then moved her head so she could press her lips gently against her girlfriend's. The kiss was sweet. It wasn't rushed. It was a promise, a promise of a bright future by each other's side. A promise that no matter what happened, they would never give up on each other.

"You are the best thing that's ever happened to me, Lexa Woods" Clarke whispered into the quiet of the night.

"I love you so much" Lexa whispered back, snuggling closer, not an inch of space left between their bodies.

"How many kids?" Clarke softly asked after a few moments of silence.

"Three. At least" Lexa answered with certainty.

Clarke laughed, "alright, girls or boys?"

"One boy then two girls so he can look after his little sisters" Lexa sleepily said.

"You have it all planned out, don't you?"

Lexa hummed, "and they'll have your hair and your beautiful eyes" she lazily left a kiss on Clarke's jaw.

"What if I want them to have your brown curls and mesmerizing green eyes?" Clarke said, raising an eyebrow.

"Nope. Blonde hair and blue eyes" Lexa breathed out, kissing her girlfriend's neck repeatingly afterwards.

"I'm not going to win this, am I?" Clarke said, amused.

"Nope" Lexa mumbled against the skin of Clarke's neck before her eyelids started drooping and she fell into a deep slumber. Clarke wasn't very far behind.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

"What is that?" Lexa asked when her mother handed her yet another enveloppe, "is that an acceptance letter?"

Indra shook her head and hesitantly said, "it's from your father, Lexa"

Lexa's whole body froze. _Her father._ As in the man who abandoned her when she was no older than nine years old. **_What could he possibly want after all these years?_** A million questions were racing through her mind and her heart started beating at a faster pace. A lump formed in her throat, making it harder for her to swallow. She took the letter in her trembling hands and stared at it blankly, not daring to open it.

Indra watched her daughter carefully as the girl's eyes raked over the sealed enveloppe. The older woman stepped forward and gently wrapped her arms around Lexa, holding her while the brunette's whole body trembled. She ran her fingers through her hair and pressed a kiss to her temple.

"You don't have to read it if you don't want to. The choice is yours" Indra whispered in her ear.

Lexa nodded and slowly pulled back from the hug to stare at the enveloppe again. She didn't know what to do. She needed Clarke right now. The brunette thanked her mother then grabbed her stuff and ran towards Clarke's house.

When the blonde opened the door, Lexa surged inside and climbed the stairs two by two, leaving a stunned Clarke behind. Clarke ran up and found Lexa pacing in her room, holding tightly onto an enveloppe. She cautiously walked up to her and grasped the brunette's upperarms with her hands, keeping her still.

"What's going on?" She looked into scared emerald eyes.

"My...my...he..." she tried to get out but a knot had formed in her stomach and her eyes were starting to sting.

"Baby, breathe" Clarke instructed, "calm down and tell me what's wrong"

Lexa took a few big breaths and let herself be guided to the bed by Clarke. She sat against the headboard and Clarke kneeled before her, the blonde's knees digging into the blanket.

At loss for words, Lexa simply handed Clarke the letter. Clarke took it and read the few lines written behind it.

"New York? Who lives in New York?" Clarke frowned.

"....my dad, apparently" Lexa quietly responded.

Clarke's head snapped up. Her eyes shifted from the paper to the quiet girl in front of her, "are you...are you going to read it?"

"I don't know!" Lexa threw her arms up in frustration, "I don't know....I never thought he would reach out again...he abandoned me when my mother died and made it pretty clear he didn't want anything to do with me...what should I do?" Lexa looked into cerulean eyes.

"Lexa...I can't make that choice for you"

"I know...I know" Lexa dropped her head in her hands and sighed heavily. She then took the letter and stared at it for a moment, not making a move to open it.

Clarke looked on, concern written in her eyes, "do you want me to open it for you?" she asked, unsure.

"Please" Lexa let out a shaky breath as she handed her the enveloppe.

Clarke carefully ripped the lid of it and pulled the letter out. She glanced at Lexa once more, searching for any signs that she should stop. When she saw none, she unfolded the letter and covered one of Lexa's hands with her free one.

"Can you...can you read it first?" the brunette asked.

"Are you sure?"

Lexa nodded and Clarke squeezed her hand before focusing her attention on the words written on the paper she was holding.

"What does it say?" Lexa asked after a couple minutes had passed by.

"He's in town for two months and wants to meet with you. To make up for lost time..." she handed the letter to the brunette who started reading it.  Clarke could see the conflict in her girlfriend's eyes as they moved over the words, "Lex, you know you don't have to go see him if you don't want to, right?"

"I know" Lexa breathed out, "I'm just...taken aback, I guess. I didn't think he would write to me...ever" her eyebrows were furrowed in deep thought.

Clarke neatly folded the letter and tucked it inside a book before climbing on Lexa's lap, cupping the girl's cheeks and connecting their foreheads.

"It's okay if you're confused now. And if you decide to do this, do this for yourself, not for him" she whispered.

"I need time to think about it"

"Take all the time you need. If you think seeing him is what's best for you, go for it. If not, then don't do it. Either way, the decision is yours. There isn't a wrong decision. Just do what feels best for you"

"Thank you"

"You have nothing to thank me for" Clarke whispered, "I will always support you"

Lexa tilted her head up slightly and kissed the blonde with utmost delicacy and love.

"I don't want to think about that right now" Lexa sighed, "can we go somewhere tonight?"

"And where would we go?"

"The arcade" Lexa smiled at the grin that took over Clarke's features when she uttered the words.

"Really?" Clarke let out a squeal of joy.

"Yeah"

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

Lexa was currently killing it at a racing game and Clarke was watching her from a few feet away while sipping on her soda. She squinted her eyes and walked a bit closer when she saw a guy come up to her girlfriend, leaning his forearm against the machine to support his weight.

"A pretty girl who's good at video games? Damn you got it all" he obnoxiously said.

Clarke rolled her eyes at this while Lexa paused the game, closed her eyes and after taking a big breath, reopened them.

"Yeah, I even have a girlfriend waiting for me right there" she said, pointing at Clarke's approaching figure. Clarke smirked smugly at the guy and wrapped an arm around Lexa's shoulders.

"She's hot, even better" the guy smiled, "how about a threesome?"

"You have got to be fucking kidding me" Clarke looked at him in utter disbelief.

"My place or yours?" The guy continued.

"Get the fuck out" Clarke said through gritted teeth while Lexa's fists clenched and unclenched at her sides.

"Ooh fiesty, I like it" the boy reached out with his hand and groped Clarke's butt, making the girl jump in surprise, a shriek escaping her lips.

Lexa strode towards him and shoved him backwards with force, "if you touch her again, I'll make sure they never find your body" she threathened him.

"What?! Have you seen her clothes? She asked for it!" He shouted.

Lexa saw red, she threw in a punch and was about to repeat the action when Clarke wrapped her arms around her waist and pulled her backwards.

"Lexa, stop!" She yelled but the brunette didn't seem ready to calm down. The blonde was struggling to hold her back.

"Let me go, Clarke!"

"No" Clarke used all her strength to keep the brunette from escaping her hold, "Lexa, calm down. Breathe, baby" she whispered in the girl's ear.

It seemed to work as Lexa slowly calmed down and wasn't trying to reach for the boy anymore. The boy seemed two seconds away from peeing his pants, he hurried to his feet and took advantage of Clarke soothing Lexa to flee as fast as he could.

Clarke slowly loosened her hold on her girlfriend's waist and lowered them to the ground while Lexa breathed slowly through her nose. She placed a hand behind Lexa's head, tracing a soothing pattern on the girl's scalp while holding her close.

"Shhh, it's okay" she whispered before throwing a glare at the people who were gathered around them, staring.

A security agent slowly approached them and hesitantly tapped on Clarke's shoulder.

"Excuse me Miss but uh...I'm going to have to ask you to leave"

"What?!" Clarke shouted. Lexa jumped slightly at the volume of her voice, "sorry, baby" the blonde whispered before looking at the security agent, "are you for real?"

"Violence is not allowed in here" the man explained.

"But sexual harrassment is?" Clarke raised an incredulous eyebrow, "fuck this shit" she grabbed her purse and helped Lexa to her feet before dragging her outside, flipping the bird to a group of guy who whistled as they walked by.

Lexa slumped into the passenger seat and sighed loudly.

"Lexa...what happened back there?"

"What do you mean?" Lexa tried to avoid the question.

"You know what I mean...I know he asked for it but you're not a violent person and you were kinda...." she trailed off.

Lexa dropped her head in her hands, angry at herself for losing control of herself so easily.

"Is this about the letter?" Clarke hesitantly asked.

Upon receiving no answer, Clarke knew she had guessed right. She reached out for Lexa's hands and pried them away from the girl's face to hold them in her own instead. She brushed her fingers over Lexa's knuckles and leaned slightly over the console to press a kiss to the girl's forehead.

"Lexa, look at me" Clarke said. Lexa didn't move. She was too ashamed to meet her gaze.

Clarke placed her fingers under Lexa's chin and lifted it gently, "look at me" she repeated.

Green eyes connected with blue ones and Clarke lifted one of Lexa's hands to kiss the back of it, maintaining their eye contact throughout it all.

"Talk to me, please" she pleaded.

Lexa opened her mouth but all that escaped was a strangled sound. Clarke climbed over the console somewhat clumsily and landed in Lexa's lap, circling the girl's neck with her arms, offering the needed comfort.

"I don't know what to do" Lexa cried into her shoulder.

"You don't have to know right now" Clarke told her, lifting the brunette's head so she could cup her cheeks and wipe at her tears.

"How can I forgive him? He didn't hesitate to run away the second things got hard..." Lexa let out in one breath, "I never thought I would see him again...I prepared myself to a life without him...why does he have to complicate things?! Why is he only reaching out now?!" Lexa's frustration grew and a few tears escaped which Clarke was quick to kiss away.

"Do you think he could have ulterior motives?" Clarke cautiously questioned.

"Yes..no...I don't know..."

"And do you want to know?"

Lexa pondered the question, then slowly looked back into Clarke's eyes, "I think I need to know" she quietly said.

"Then I think you know what you have to do"

Lexa nodded and pulled out her phone. She stared at it for a few minutes then shoved it into Clarke's hands, "do it"

"Lexa.." Clarke was about to argue but stopped when she saw the distressed look in her girlfriend's eyes.

"Please...I don't think I'm capable of it"

"Okay" Clarke agreed, "do you still have the letter?"

Lexa nodded and fished it out of the pocket of her jacket. Clarke dialed the number and after an approving nod from Lexa, she pressed the call button and put it on speaker as per Lexa's request. It picked up after two rings.

"Hello" a deep voice sounded from the other end and Clarke watched as Lexa placed a hand on her mouth to repress a sob.

"M. Davis?" Clarke asked.

"This is he" the man replied, "who are you?"

"Um..." Clarke glanced at Lexa before responding, "I'm Clarke Griffin...Lexa's girlfriend"

"Is Lexa with you?" He immediately questioned, his voice taking on a higher, happier tone.

Lexa shook her head and Clarke got the message, "she isn't here at the moment"

"Oh" he sounded disappointed.

"But she would like to meet with you" Clarke added, her eyes not leaving Lexa.

"Really?" His excitement grew considerably, "is tomorrow alright?"

"I'll have to ask her. I'll text you her answer"

"Thank you so much" the man said before Lexa grabbed the phone from Clarke's hand and ended the call.

"Do you still want to do it?" Clarke asked.

"Yes...you can text him later and tell him I'll meet with him tomorrow"

"Are you sure about this?" Clarke took her girlfriend's hands in her own.

Lexa gave her one sharp nod, then leaned her forehead against the blonde's, "thank you" she whispered before brushing her lips ever so slightly over the blonde's.

Clarke closed the remaining distance and her hands cupped the brunette's cheeks while their lips sweetly moved together.

 

 

\--------------------------

 

 

Lexa was a nervous mess. She had been sitting at a table on the terrasse of a small café for about fifteen minutes, picking at loose straps of her sweatshirt.

Finally she saw her father cross the street. He looked to be in bad shape. His shirt and jeans had holes in them and there was now on his face a messy beard that he used to neatly shave. After the initial shock of seeing him again after all these years, Lexa rearranged her position on the chair and chanced a small, barely noticeable smile. Her heart was threatening to jump out of her chest as she watched him come forward. She hesitated to get up but settled on remaining seated and waiting for him to make the first move. After all, he was the one who contacted her, after all these years, and she still didn't know the exact reason behind such action.

"Lexa" her father nodded at her and took a seat on the chair opposite.

Lexa wanted to ask a million questions. **_Why now? Why wait so long to reach out? Did you not love me? Why did you leave?_  **but she kept quiet and fixed the man with an unwavering stare.

"You probably wonder why I contacted you" he started and Lexa meekly raised an eyebrow in response, "well...uh..I don't really know how to go about this"

"You could start by apologizing" Lexa said in a tone filled with reproaches.

Her father seemed taken aback by the intensity of her gaze but it didn't disarm him, "right. I'm sorry" he gave her an half-assed apology, "now onto more important matters"

Lexa's heart dropped in her chest. She willed the tears to remain unshed because she had already cried too much because of that man and refused to let him get to her again, "more..more important matters?!" She exploded, rising from her seat, "what could possibly be more important than apologizing to your daughter for abandoning her when she was just a child!?"

"Lexa, would you mind keeping yoir voice down?" Her father whispered loudly when he noticed the attention they were getting from other customers and from the people passing in the busy streets.

"Keeping my..." Lexa repeated in pure disbelief, "so it was all false...everything you wrote in that letter. None of it was true" Lexa concluded, a few traitorous tears escaping her eyes only to be wiped off hastily by the brunette. She refused to let her father see the hurt he caused her. The hurt he was still causing her.

"I needed a way to get you to talk to me" he explained, shrugging, "look, Lexa, I need you"

"Of course you do" Lexa scoffed humorlessly, "why else would you have contacted me?"

"I just need you to lend me some money and then I'll be out of your life and you-"

"You've been out of my life for most of it!!" Lexa exploded, "you have some nerve coming back to beg me for money. You can shove it up your ass" she finished before angrily grabbing her purse and walking away, heading towards the one person she really needed right now.

She walked as fast as her feet would carry her and stopped on the treshold of Clarke's house. She knocked frantically on it. Jake opened the door and his eyes widened as he took in her appearence. Tears were rolling down her cheeks and her eyes were a bit red and puffy.

"Lexa?" He ushered her in and cradled her face, "what happened?"

Lexa shook her head and a strangled cry escaped her lips. Jake called out his daughter's name.

Clarke came barreling down the stairs and faltered in her steps when she saw the state Lexa was in. She immediately made the connection with the brunette's meeting with her father and concluded something must have gone wrong. She hurried towards the girl. Lexa's body gave out and she all but fell into Clarke's open arms, sobs wrecking her body.

Clarke thanked her father and led the brunette upstairs, prompting her to sit on the bed. She joined her and let Lexa hold onto her shirt, the girl's fists closed tightly around the thin material. She rocked them gently, murmuring soothing words in the brunette's ear.  She didn't press Lexa to tell her what happened. She simply waited until the girl's sobs subsided and held her throughout it all. It was all she could do in this very moment.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" She gently asked and regretted it instantly when it caused another heartwrenching sob to escape Lexa's throat.

"H-he...doesn't-doesn't give a sh-shit about me" Lexa said through her tears.

"Wh..why do you think that?"

Lexa pulled away from the embrace and breathed deeply to calm herself, "he only cares about my money" Lexa cried out, "he...he didn't even apologize. The letter...it was just a bunch of bullshit promises so he could ask me to help him financially" she hiccuped at the end of her sentence.

"Oh baby, come here" Clarke lay down and pulled Lexa on top of her, holding her close, "I'm sorry your father is too stupid to see what an incredible woman you are" she caressed her hair.

"I really thought he regretted abandoning me" Lexa expressed her disappointment.

"I know, baby but either way, you don't need him" Clarke lifted Lexa's head so she could kiss her.

It was quiet for a few minutes before the silence was interrupted by Clarke's voice, "you're thinking too much. I can see the gears working in your head" she whispered.

"I just...why did he abandon me? Why wasn't I enough to make him stay?" Lexa asked in a small voice, chancing a vulnerable look at her girlfriend.

"Oh no, Lex...this is not because of you. Don't let him make you think that. Ever" she brushed a thumb against the brunette's cheek, "you are amazing. You are so smart and beautiful and kind. If he can't see that, that's his problem"

They stayed like that for a few quiet moments before Lexa's voice could be heard.

"Clarke?"

Clarke hummed in reply.

"You're my family. You know that, right? You, Jake, Abby and Aden. I don't know what I would do if I were to ever lose you"

"You won't lose us. You're our family too. Hell, even Anya's part of the family" Clarke said, drawing a small chuckle from Lexa, "sooo.." the blonde trailed off, "...disney movie?"

She mentally patted herself on the back when she saw the change in her girlfriend's features. The girl was now grinning from ear to ear.

"Yesss" Lexa whispered before jumping off the bed and hurrying to pick out a movie.

She came back with the DVD of Pocahantas and inserted it in the disc player, then she slipped under the covers and instructed Clarke to do the same so she could rest her head on the blonde's chest. She snuggled up close to Clarke, the blonde's perfume invading her senses in the most wonderful way.

"I love you" Lexa said as she looked up at her girlfriend in pure adoration.

"I love you too" Clarke smiled at her and pressed a quick kiss to the tip of her nose, "now watch the movie"

Lexa nodded and dropped her head back on Clarke's chest, focusing her attention on the movie currently playing.

Many times, Clarke had to pause the movie because Lexa kept staring at her instead of watching what was happening on the screen. Lexa had responded with a shrug and _'you're much more beautiful to look at'_ , causing a faint blush to erupt on Clarke's cheeks.

Later that afternoon, Lexa came down the stairs and hugged Jake tightly, whispering ' _you've been more of a dad to me than my actual father has ever been. Thank you so much'_

For the remainder of the day, Jake wholefully denied Clarke's claims that tears had appeared in his eyes upon hearing those words. Lexa watched their banter, a soft smile playing on her lips and she realized that Clarke was right. She really didn't need her father in her life because she already had a family and those people were more than she could have ever wished for.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have decided on a number of chapters. Next chapter will thus be the last one. I might write an epilogue or even a sequel in the future but for now I want to focus on the fanfic I've started working on recently. Thank you all for the support. It means a lot :)


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here is the last chapter :) Sorry for the slightly longer wait. As it is the last chapter, I wanted to make it longer

 

Both girls were staring intently at the two letters on the dining room's table, letters that would, if all went well, confirm that they would study at Polis University.

"You first" Lexa said.

"No, you first" Clarke internally rolled her eyes at herself for how cheesy that sounded.

Lexa picked up the letter and ripped it open. Her actions were mimicked by Clarke shortly after. They stole furtive glances at each other as they pulled the letter out of its previous emplacement. They slowly opened it and their eyes raked over the inked words. Lexa folded it back and did a poor job at hiding the huge grin threatening to split her face. Clarke wasn't faring much better.

"I got in!" they said in unison before jumping into each other's arms.

"Are you sure you don't regret turning down the offer from Yale?" Clarke whispered. The quiet tone of her voice gave away her deep fear of a negative response.

"I have absolutely no regrets" Lexa whispered back, brushing a loose strand of hair behind Clarke's ear before kissing the girl.

"We're going to College together" Clarke seemed to only truly realise now the implications of those letters.

"We are" Lexa could only be described as beaming when those two words were uttered and her expression was very clearly and unsurprisingly mirrored on Clarke's face.

"You have no idea how happy I am right now" Clarke said.

"I think I do" Lexa surged forward and captured Clarke's lips in hers once more.

 

 

\-----------------------------

 

 

_[ Graduation day ]_

 

"Clarke!" Lexa hissed through her laughter, "we can't, the ceremony is about to start"

"Don't care" Clarke attached her lips to Lexa's neck.

She half-heartedly pushed Clarke away but the blonde didn't relent in her attack on Lexa's neck, nibbling and sucking on the skin of it. Had she not been so turned on, Lexa would be deeply ashamed at the thought that they were quite literally making out in the confined space of the janitor's closet, mere minutes before their graduation.

She switched their positions, Clarke now pressed firmly against the back wall. Then, she grabbed Clarke's wrists and pinned the girl's arms above her head before closing the distance between their bodies. Clarke let out a barely muffled moan as their bodies molded together.

Lexa started peppering kiss along Clarke's jaw before moving her kisses to the girl's neck. She could feel Clarke try to break free from the hold she had on the blonde's wrists and she let go of them. As soon as they were free, Clarke's hands framed Lexa's face and she brought their mouths together in a clash of teeth and lips.

"Fuck...I love you.." Clarke breathily whispered when they pulled away _-only briefly-_ to catch their breath.

Lexa answered by trailing her tongue over Clarke's lower lip before sinking her teeth into it, not hard enough to draw blood but hard enough to elicit a throaty moan from her girlfriend. She smirked in satisfaction and slipped her tongue between pink lips. Clarke hummed and her right hand moved to tangle in brown curls while her left hand loosely gripped the nape of Lexa's neck.

The door was suddenly pulled open and they broke apart in a flash before hurrying out of the closet, laughing and completely disregarding the pure confusion written on the janitor's face. They smoothed out their clothes and Clarke rearranged Lexa's graduate cap on the brunette's head,

"I'm proud of you" she whispered before kissing her girlfriend.

"And I am proud of you" Lexa murmured lovingly against her lips.

Clarke's hand traveled down Lexa's arm and found her destination into the girl's hand before intertwining their fingers and leading them to the auditorium where the ceremony would be held in less than five minutes.

Students were progressively filling the room and the headmaster was fixing up the mic. Clarke took a seat on the first row, it being specifically reserved for graduate students. She turned around and saw her parents and Aden sitting in the back, Anya and Indra by their side. Lexa turned as well to see the object of her girlfriend's attention and waved at their families when she spotted them. All of them simply smiled except Aden who stood on his chair out of excitement and jumped a bit on it until Jake took him in his arms to avoid him getting hurt and placed him in his lap instead. It didn't lessen the little boy's excitement and he kept on moving his arms around while bouncing slightly.

The graduation ceremony started and as Clarke's name was called, it seemed as though Lexa's loud cheers covered the sound of all the other cheers. At least that's how it seemed to Clarke. She accepted her diploma with pride and blue eyes connected with green ones. In that moment, Lexa really hated having Woods as her last name because it meant having to wait an excruciatingly long time before sitting next to her girlfriend again. As Octavia would say, she was whipped but that had already been established many times.

Finally her name was called and she stepped onto the stage to, in turn, accept her diploma. When she took a seat next to Clarke, she felt a hand slip into hers. She angled her head towards her girlfriend and gave the blonde a blinding smile which was instantly returned by the latter.

"This has been the best year of my life" Lexa whispered into her girlfriend's ear, "thank you. I love you"

Clarke's eyes shone with unshed tears and she quickly pecked Lexa's lips, "I love you too"

 

 

\------------------------------

 

 

Once they stepped down from the stage, they were swamped up by their families who envelopped them both in a group hug. Their smiles could brighten the darkest room as their families told them many times how proud of them they were. They all moved outside and Lexa tugged on Clarke's hand with the purpose of guiding her elsewhere. Clarke didn't question this move and simply followed her girlfriend, grasping the opportunity to look at her side profile.

"You're staring" Lexa pointed out but didn't slow her pace as they rounded the building.

"You're beautiful" Clarke replied. She would never tire of saying those words to Lexa, even if only to see the slight blush that never failed to appear on the brunette's cheeks upon hearing them.

Both girls took their time climbing up the familiar staircase and Clarke sighed contentedly when the slight breeze smacked softly against her face, bringing her hair flying behind.

She hummed when two strong arms wrapped around her middle as Lexa dropped her chin on her right shoulder, leaving a quick kiss on the side of her jaw. She didn't want to move. She wanted to freeze that moment in time so she could forever enjoy the feeling of Lexa's body against hers and of the warmth of the sunrays hitting her face. She closed her eyes, taking in every sensation.

"This is nice" she broke the silence but didn't dare open her eyes, not wanting to break herself out of this moment.

Lexa hummed and traced small circles with her fingers on the skin of Clarke's hip where the blonde's shirt had risen up a bit. She was secretly afraid that, in this moment of peace, Clarke would be able to sense her nervousness for the blonde was always very perceptive of those kind of things when it comes to Lexa.

Although small, the box in the brunette's pocket seemed to increase in weight by the second. She plunged a hand inside her jeans which she wore underneath her graduate's robe and with sweaty hands, she fumbled with said box, reassuring herself that, indeed, it was still in place.

"I have something for you. Well, two things actually" Lexa whispered in her ear, trying her very best to control her slightly shaky voice.

"You do?" Clarke finally opened her eyes and turned in the embrace, connecting their foreheads.

Lexa nodded ever so perceptibly and fished something out of her back pocket, closing her fist against it to insure Clarke couldn't make out what it was just yet. She pulled away but stayed relatively close to her girlfriend.

"So you know we're both going to Polis next year.." she said and waited for Clarke's nod before continuing, "I found a flat nearby the University and...well, I know this might seem presumptuous of me and of course you are allowed to decline but I thought that maybe, if you want...I would really like to share it with you" she finished, opening her hand to reveal a small key which she presented to Clarke.

Clarke's mouth opened and she stared at the key in silence for a few seconds which Lexa found agonizing. She was just about ready to retract her hand and tell Clarke to just forget about it. ** _It was a stupid idea,_ ** she told herself. As she prepared herself to do so, however, Clarke gently picked up the key between her thumb and index and took a brief look at it before her tear-filled eyes bore into hopeful emerald ones.

"Lexa..." she whispered before swiftly embracing the brunette, "I would love nothing more" she pulled away only to grab the brunette's face and kiss her searingly.

Lexa's arms rose up to circle her girlfriend's waist as the kiss became more heated. Lexa pulled away, the only motivation for her to do so being the box currently figuratively burning a hole in her pants. Lexa took in the frown that settled on Clarke's face and she was quick to explain her withdrawal, "there's something else I wanted to ask. It's rather important" she fumbled with the sleeves of her robe.

"Ask away" Clarke smiled softly.

Lexa took a deep breath and psyched herself into doing this. She had prepared for this. Many speeches in front of a mirror had been pronounced, many scenario cases had run through her mind. Some good, others less.

She sunk her eyes into Clarke's and thought to herself ** _'here goes everything'_ **

"When I met you, I was different. At least I think I was different. I was more reserved, less inclined to open up to people. I remember giving you a hard time at first. I'm sorry about that by the way" she chuckled a bit.

Clarke laughed as well and it was all Lexa needed to gather the courage to take the girl's hands in hers and go through with this. **_Consequences be damned._**

"After what happened at my old school, I told myself I wouldn't get close to anyone ever again. I told myself that this way, I wouldn't get hurt. But then _you_ came along with your beautiful blue eyes, your bright smiles and your unwavering _-and slightly_ _annoying at times-_ stubborness" Clarke chuckled at this, knowing it to be true, "You didn't relent in your attempts to be my friend and for that I am so, so grateful"

Clarke smiled softly.

"I remember when I started developing feelings for you. I remember scolding myself for it. To be honest, those feelings scared me and that's why at first, I tried pushing them away. After a while I realised I wouldn't be able to erase them. I mean, how could I? You're perfect" she gestured at the blonde for emphasis.

Clarke leaned forward to leave a kiss on plump lips, "sorry" she said when she pulled away, "you're making me cry" she wiped at a tear, "but go on, please"

Lexa smiled, "I also remember telling myself that even if I couldn't be with you the way I desperately wanted to, I would still be there for you in whatever capacity that may be. I would still try to make you happy every single day until the day I die because you deserve to be happy"

"You make me happy" Clarke said through tears. Lexa had difficulties containing her own tears but she knew she had to if she wanted to be able to get through this speech.

"The night of our first kiss..well, I was an idiot that night" Clarke's laughter filled her ears in the most wonderful way, "I didn't expect you to return my feelings. I had pretty much resigned myself to the idea that you simply didn't feel the same way and as much as it broke my heart, I knew I would respect your decision, whatever it was. So you can imagine my surprise when you told me you were in love with me" a tear broke free before she could stop it, "you know what happened next but do you wanna know what were my thoughts in that moment?"

Clarke nodded quickly.

"Besides that I am a complete idiot for taking so long to react to your confession, I thought that this was it. This was my chance and I couldn't fuck it up because it meant the world to me. It still does. So I ran, I ran towards your house and I am not ashamed to admit I didn't have a plan at all. So when you opened the door, I did the only thing I could think of. The only thing that felt right. Kissing you that night was the best choice I've ever made. It was like nothing I had ever felt before and somehow, in that moment, I already knew you were the one for me. It took you about two seconds to reciprocate the kiss. Those were the scariest two seconds of my life"

Lexa's lips split into a grin as she spoke those words, reminiscing the moment. Not once did her eyes disconnect from Clarke's and when she saw tears rolling down Clarke's cheeks, she softly kissed them away.

"And then, everything after that..everything after that was just perfect. It wasn't always happy and shiny. We had our ups and downs but not once did you give up on me. I can't even remember what my life was like before I met you. I don't want to remember it because I don't want to think of my life without you in it. I wake up with a smile everyday because I know I'll see you. You are the reason I don't let dark thoughts cloud my mind anymore. Why would I when I can think of you instead?"

Lexa's hand slipped beneath her robe and she fished the small box out of her pocket. She got down on one knee and watched as Clarke's hands shot up to cover her mouth while more tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Lexa.." Clarke croaked out, her voice cracking, "what are you doing?"

Lexa simply grinned in response and opened the lid of the box, revealing a small but very beautiful ring. She took another big breath then looked up at her crying girlfriend.

"I know we're young. I know we haven't been together for long" she barely managed to speak through her own tears and the lump in her throat due to the emotion caused by the moment, "I know that there are a million reasons for it to be a bad idea but I love you. _I love you_ and this is enough of a reason to convince me to do this"

She grabbed one of Clarke's hands.

"It doesn't have to be now or in a near future. I know that we both need to focus on our respective studies first but...I really fucking love you and I want to spend the rest of my life showing it to you so.." she cleared her throat and gripped the box a little tighter, "Clarke Griffin...will you marry me?" Hopeful green eyes watched Clarke as the blonde's eyes filled with tears in addition the ones already rolling down her cheeks.

Clarke nodded quickly, "yes" she sobbed out, "of course I'll marry you" she pulled Lexa to her feet and grabbed her face, kissing her with all her might, pouring all of her feelings into the kiss.

Lexa's arms wrapped around Clarke's waist, her left hand still holding the velvet box, as she reciprocated the kiss with just as much intensity and love.

"I love you so much" Clarke said through tears.

Lexa's lips split into the widest smile Clarke had ever seen and she took the ring out of the box then gently took Clarke's hand.

"May I?" She asked.

Clarke simply nodded, at loss for words and Lexa slowly slid the ring onto her finger, keeping Clarke's hand in hers for a few more seconds before looking back at Clarke through her blurry vision due to the tears invading her eyes.

"We're engaged" Clarke whispered in slight disbelief, "we're engaged" she repeated with more conviction and all Lexa could do was smile and nod dumbly before she was thrown into a bone-crashing hug by her fiancee. _Her fiancee._ She loved the sound of that.

They heard loud cheers coming from their left and without distancing themselves from each other, they snapped their heads to the side and saw Jake, Abby and Indra, approaching with beaming smiles on their faces. Raven erupted from behind them, and pointed at a surveillance camera she had messed with so that the content of the video would directly be downloaded to her computer and so that the sound would be available, "I totally got all of that on camera" she announced proudly, "sometimes being a genius with technology can be helpful"

"You filmed us?!" Clarke exclaimed, the smile on her face clearly a sign that she wasn't mad but rather ecstatic to know she'll have a materialised memory of this moment.

"I sure did" Raven smiled and winked at the happy couple, "I'll send you the video tonight"

"Thank you, Rae" Clarke told the latina girl but her eyes weren't fixed on her interlocutor. They were lovingly watching Lexa.

Raven rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the huge smile that threatened to split her face as she witnessed her friends's happiness. She really was happy for them. She excused herself and joined a grumpy Octavia who had been forced to remain downstairs with Anya and Aden because there wasn't enough space up there for more than four people. Aden hadn't been allowed to go because his small squeals of joy, as adorable as they were, would have definitely alerted the two girls of their presence.

"Did you film all of it?" Anya asked her and received a proud nod in response, "could you send it to me?"

"Aww Woods, who would have thought you were just a big softie?" Raven cooed.

"Say that again and I will break every single bone in your body" Anya threw her a deadly glare.

Raven gulped, "duly noted" she nodded sharply.

They all started the short walk to the rooftop to join the others

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

On the roof, both Clarke and Lexa were on the receiving end of many hugs from their parents.

"I'm very proud of you, Lexa" Indra whispered in her ear.

"You're not mad?" Lexa asked in a small voice.

A few days ago, her mother and herself had had a small argument about the proposal. Indra deemed it to be too soon to consider this kind of thing which led to a lengthy debate on the topic.

"I never thought I'd say this but I am glad you didn't listen to me this time"  Lexa's eyebrows shot up in surprise at her mother's admission, "I was wrong" Indra said, "you two are made for each other, that much is clear, and I won't stop you from doing what makes you happy"

"Thank you, mom" Lexa thightened her arms around her mother.

"I love you, Lexa" she told her earnestly.

"I love you too, mom"

Not far away, Clarke was in the same position as the brunette. She was being held tightly by both her parents and she had never felt happier.

"You're crushing me a bit" she squeaked out and breathed deeply when they finally let go of her. Her mother grabbed her hand to look at the newly acquired ring.

"It's very beautiful" she said, tears brimming in her eyes, "I'm very happy for you two"

Jake left their side and sneaked up on Lexa, putting his index over his lips to instruct Indra to keep silent about his presence. He then wrapped his arms around Lexa's waist and effortlessly lifted her in the air, drawing a surprised yelp from the girl. He spinned them around for a bit.

Clarke's attention was captured by the melodious sound of Lexa's laughter and she all but ran towards her fiancee as Jake lowered her to the ground. She grabbed Lexa's hand and pulled her towards the small crowd that had gathered around them. Anya, Octavia and Aden had joined the others on the rooftop and the little boy immediately jumped into Clarke's arms when the blonde crouched down.

Both girls played with the boy for a bit before Anya asked to speak with them. They left Aden under Abby's care and went to sit on a bench which wan't big enough for three people, leaving Clarke standing and pouting, arms crossed in front of her chest. Anya rolled her eyes when Lexa grabbed the blonde's waist and pulled her into her lap, efficiently erasing the girl's pout from her lips, replacing it with a bright smile.

Clarke and Anya tarted a rather awkward staring contest before, to their surprise, Anya's lips formed a smile.

"Shit" Clarke whispered, "she can smile"

"Very funny" Anya shot a glare at a giggling Lexa before turning her attention back on Clarke. She rolled her eyes again when she found the blonde looking at her sister with hearteyes.

Anya waved a hand in front of Clarke to get her attention.

"Hm?" Clarke ditractedly looked back at the dirty blonde haired girl.

"Alright, I'll be quick because all that emotional stuff really isn't my thing" Anya said.

"Really? We hadn't noticed" Lexa teased, sarcasm dripping into her voice.

"Hilarious" Anya threw her an unimpressed look, "I'm really proud of you, Lex"

The mood shifted and Lexa smiled warmly at her sister. She gently asked Clarke to get off her lap before wrapping her arms around Anya who surprisingly didn't push her away or complain. Instead, the older girl hugged her back.

"You better take care of her" she warned Clarke from over Lexa's shoulder.

"I will" Carke promised.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

They stayed a bit longer before the urge to be alone became too strong. After being congratulated once again by all the people present, they left hand in hand, running down the stairs.

"I think it's safe to say we shouldn't come back home for the next couple hours if we don't want to stumble upon not very religious activities" Raven told the others, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

" _Raven!_ " Abby scolded her.

"What? I'm only saying this for your own good, y'know" the latina shrugged.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

"Where are you taking us?" Lexa asked, happiness coursing through her veins.

"Home. So I can worship every inch of my _fiancee_ 's body" she put an emphasis on the word _fiancee_.

Lexa's body trembled with excitement and she felt heat shoot to her center. She quickly climbed inside the car, hastily buckling her seatbelt.

"Someone's eager" Clarke commented with a chuckle.

"Well, can you blame me?" Lexa raised an eyebrow.

Clarke's answer came in the form of a hot kiss which she sadly had to put a stop to before it could go any further because they weren't home and no way would she make love to Lexa in a car. At some point during the ride home, Lexa took Clarke's hand and brought it to her lips, kissing her ring finger right above the piece of jewelry. They stumbled through the house, stopping every few steps to pin the other against a wall and connect their lips.

Clarke was currently leaving open-mouthed kisses on Lexa's neck while the brunette silently asked her to keep going by tangling her fingers in blonde hair.

"We should..." Lexa momentarily lost her train of though as Clarke bit on her pulsepoint. She slammed her eyes shut tightly, "we should go...upstairs..." she finally breathed out.

Clarke hummed against her neck but made no move to leave the room thus Lexa took matters into her own hands. She placed her hands under Clarke's thighs and lifted her up, drawing a small surprise yelp from the blonde. They entered the bedroom and Lexa kicked the door closed. She dropped Clarke on the bed and without waiting any longer, lowered her body onto the blonde's, kissing up from the blonde's pulsepoint to her earlobe, taking it between plump lips and nipping at it lightly before releasing it and moving her lips to rest on Clarke's.

That afternoon, Clarke made good on her promise to worship Lexa's body as Lexa fell over the edge three times while Clarke, as for her, came twice.

 

 

\---------------------------

 

 

Lexa was lying on her back, Clarke's bare body draped over her own as the brunette brushed her fingers along the smooth skin of the girl's back. They were in nothing but their underwear and Lexa enjoyed the feeling of warmth emanating from Clarke's body as it fit perfectly with her own.

"I can't believe you proposed to me" Clarke whispered, a smile permanently plastered on her face.

"You know what? I can't believe it either" Lexa let out a small laugh.

"Your speech was very beautiful" Clarke tilted her head up to gaze at her.

"It was?" Lexa was surprised by this.  She had thought her speech had been altogether a bit all over the place. She had prepared one but forgot all of it as soon as she saw Clarke so she decided to just improvise and speak with her heart.

"No one has ever told me anything that beautiful" Clarke whispered.

Lexa smiled and accepted Clarke's kiss, humming into it and melting deeper into it as Clarke grazed her tongue across her bottom lip. She opened her mouth to grant access to Clarke's tongue and moaned when hers made contact with it.

She breathed deeply through her nose and changed the angle of the kiss, moving her hands to rest on the small of Clarke's back.

"I'm glad you said yes or else it would have been a bit embarrassing" Lexa admitted with a light chuckle.

Clarke joined her with a chuckle of her own and slapped Lexa playfully on the shoulder, "did you seriously think I would ever even consider saying no?" she raised a brow.

"Well..I didn't know..you could have thought we were too young and that we should wait before making such a big commitment...or you could have thought that-"

"I love you" Clarke interrupted her, smiling at her, "I can't find a single reason to say no that trumps this one reason to say yes"

"I'll never tire of hearing those words from you"

"Which ones? That I love you?" Lexa nodded in answer, "good because I love saying them to you" the blonde smiled, "I . am . so . in love . with you" Clarke punctuated each word with a kiss on plump lips before keeping her lips pressed against Lexa's.

The kiss became a bit awkward because they couldn't stop smiling through it but neither of them cared for they were far too engrossed in each other.

"You know, I thought I would be the one to propose. I'm kinda bumped you beat me to it" Clarke said.

"Are you really tough?" Lexa raised a knowing eyebrow.

"Not really" Clarke laughed, "you did a pretty good job" she smiled.

"Only good?" Lexa asked, feigning offense.

"I already told you that your speech was perfect. What more do you want?" Clarke smiled up at her.

"A kiss would be nice" Lexa casually shrugged and repressed a grin when Clarke lifted her head to connect their lips. Her eyes drifted close and she framed Clarke's face with her hands, her fingers gliding up and down the blonde's jaw.

When Clarke pulled away, Lexa craned her neck to chase her lips while keeping her eyes closed, eliciting a small laugh from Clarke.

"Come back" Lexa whined, still not opening her eyes.

Clarke laughed once more, "later" she promised, "but first I have something for you" she got up from the bed.

"You do?" Lexa opened her eyes and openly stared at Clarke's naked body.

Clarke nodded and opened the closet before she bent down to retrieve a rectangle-shaped package which didn't seem to weight much. She held it behind her back and stood in front of Lexa.

"You're beautiful" Lexa whispered, admiring the blonde's soft curves.

Clarke ducked her head with a blush and smiled at the ground. The sound of the sheets shuffling came to her ears and she lifted her head right before Lexa's lips met hers in a brief but sweet kiss.

"Maybe we should put some clothes on" Lexa suggested.

"Didn't you just say I was beautiful? I'm offended" Clarke joked.

"You are beautiful, that's the problem, I keep getting distracted by your boobs" Lexa sheepishly gestured at the blonde's chest.

Clarke exploded in laughter. She dropped the gift behind her and she reached for both their shirts so they could cover their upper bodies. Lexa pouted when she couldn't see Clarke's chest anymore.

"Are you seriously pouting right now?" Clarke laughed, "you're the one who asked me to put a shirt on!" she playfully accused.

Lexa hummed pensively, "I'm starting to understand my mistake" she said, earning a light slap on her shoulder from Clarke. She laughed but didn't detach her gaze from the blonde's chest.

"Stop staring at my boobs" Clarke said.

"I'm afraid this is beyond my capacities"

"Lexa.." a small smile escaped despite the blonde's attempts to contain it.

"Alright, alright" the brunette laughed, "what is it you wanted to give me?" she raised a curious brow.

"Right" Clarke nodded and she reached behind her, where she had previously dropped the gift. She extended her arms, handing it to the brunette with a shy smile, slightly scared of the brunette's reaction. Lexa maintained eye contact with Clarke as she slowly unwrapped the neatly wrapped present. She only detached her eyes from the blonde when the content of the wrapping wasn't hidden anymore. Her eyes widened and her jaw fell as tears started to brim in the corner of her eyes upon seeing what she was holding in her hands.

It was a comic book. In big letters was written the title ; _The Missing Piece, our story._ She recognised the drawing style of her girlfr _\- fiancee,_ she corrected herself with a smile, and knew instantly Clarke was the one who had drawn it.

"Clarke..." tears of joy rolled down her cheeks.

The blonde wiped them away with a smile, "open it" she softly instructed, gesturing at it with her head.

Lexa carefully opened the front page and had to stop a moment because inside the first page was a picture of the both of them, taken before Winter Ball, as they smiled at each other instead of at the camera.

"Your mom took that photo" Lexa pointed out.

"She did" Clarke confirmed.

"It's my favorite" Lexa revealed.

"Mine too"

Lexa turned the page and scanned the drawings with her eyes. On it, you could clearly see a very bored Clarke, disregarding completely whatever it was that Pike was saying. Lexa chuckled a bit when she remembered that was the lesson she interrupted with her arrival to the school. She turned the page and gasped softly when she saw herself being represented on it, shyly entering the classroom, not daring to look up and looking as vulnerable as ever. Clarke had portrayed perfectly the way she felt back then.

"It looks just like me" she whispered in awe.

"I sure hope so" Clarke nervously laughed, "that's kind of what I was going for"

Lexa turned page after page and as she did so, she relived their whole love story from her panic attack in the bathroom to the night they first kissed, without forgetting their first time and their prom night. Every important step in their relationship was in that book. By the time she reached the end of the book, tears were falling freely down Lexa's cheeks and she looked at Clarke through her now blurry vision.

"I love you" she let out through a barely contained sob.

"I love you too but you should probably save your tears for the final page. I'm no Shakespeare but I do think I wrote a pretty beautiful message" Clarke grinned to hide her nervousness.

Lexa's eyes shifted between Clarke's face and the book and she finally turned the page after a few seconds. On it was a lengthy handwritten note.

 

_I don't know how I'm supposed to start this. If I were to do like most people I'd probably put a 'dear Lexa' at the beginning but it just doesn't seem enough to describe what you mean to me. No words in any languages known to men will ever be enough to describe the way I feel about you, to describe the love I have for you which consumes me everday in the best of ways. No words will ever be enough but I'll try anyway._

_You stumbled into my life completely unannounced and although unexpected, meeting you was the best thing that's ever happened to me. Saying I was miserable before I met you would be a lie but I can tell you with complete honesty that I had always felt like something was missing in my life, some kind of void that I couldn't manage to fill. You filled that void, you complete me in a way that no one else can. If soulmates were to exist, you'd be mine, there's no doubt about this in my mind. You are more than_ _just my girlfriend, you are also my best friend. I've fallen in love with my best friend and I cannot believe how lucky I am that you love me back._

_You have grown so much since the moment I first layed my eyes on you and I couldn't be prouder of everything you've accomplished so far and everything you will surely accomplish in the future. Life has deceived you several times, people have constantly let you down and yet, you're still standing strong, fighting for what you believe in. Despite all your emotional baggage and all the reasons you have to be angry at the world, you remain the most kind-hearted person I know. I admire you. I admire your strength, your intelligence and your selflessness. The way you see the world is beautiful. Your take on things is unique and I am fascinated by the way you talk about the things that you feel passionate about, as though you could talk about it for days and never tire of it._

_I love the way your tongue pokes out of your mouth whenever you're in deep concentration. I love how you tilt your head on the side whenever something confuses you. I love how a few words from you can brighten my day entirely or soothe me if I need comfort, I love you. I simply love you. _

_Falling in love with you was like skydiving from a plane. It's scary at first when you realize you're falling but it's freeing once you've done it and if you could, you'd do it all over again. Falling in love with you was beyond my control. It was the easiest thing I've ever done and each passing day I find myself falling deeper in love with you._

_I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life by your side, raising our -at least three- kids. I look forward to sharing your joys but also your moments of sadness. I look forward to each second spent by your side. I look forward to an entire lifetime_ _with you. My heart is yours to care for. And just in case I haven't said it enough yet, I love you._

_Clarke._

 

Drops of salty water stained the bedsheets as tears rolled down Lexa's cheeks and fell from them to land on the sheets, nearly avoiding the book by mere inches.

"I...I don't know what to say.." Lexa croaked out. Words were proving to be difficult due to the lump which had progressively formed in her throat. In the space of thirty minutes, she had relived all seven months of their relationship. Needless to say emotion got the best of her.

"You don't have to say anything" Clarke whispered, "so yeah...this isn't remotely as good of a gift as what you offered me but I hope you like it nonetheless"

"Like? Clarke, I absolutely love it" Lexa grinned, "this is the best gift anyone has ever given to me. Me proposing only required a bit of courage but what you did, _this_ " she gestured to the comic book, "that demands time and energy and a whole lot of talent. How did you even manage to do this without me realising? We're practically always together"

"I started this around the end of December _-yes, this is how sure about us I already was back then-_ and I just drew whenever you weren't around" she explained, "I drew a lot while you were away for the soccer competition. I was missing you like crazy and drawing for this made me feel connected to you in a way"

Clarke was pushed onto her back when Lexa surged forward to hug the blonde tightly, "I love you" the three meaningful words were whispered into the crook of the blonde's neck.

"Thank God. I almost thought you didn't" Clarke joked.

Lexa giggled and Clarke's heart fluttered at the sound. She ran her fingers through Lexa's hair and stopped her movements when she caught a glimpse of the ring on her finger so she could once more admire it.

"You like it?" Lexa asked when she noticed why Clarke had stopped.

"It's so beautiful"

"Your mom helped me choose it" Lexa informed her.

"She did?" Clarke raised an eyebrow in surprise. Her mother had always been a very bad liar but this time, not once did Clarke suspect that they were up to something. Her mother had kept the proposal hidden pretty well.

Lexa hummed, responding in the affirmative, before grabbing Clarke's hand to play with her fingers. She traced her index over the ring, smiling to herself as she stared at the visual evidence of Clarke's positive answer to her proposal. _They were engaged._

"It looks good on you" she smiled up at Clarke.  

Clarke tilted Lexa's chin up with her index finger and brought her lips to rest against the brunette's.

Lexa put more pressure into the kiss and her tongue grazed Clarke's bottom lip, begging for entrance which was granted to her rather quickly. The kiss grew passionate in a matter of seconds. Clarke's hands cupped Lexa's cheeks as the brunette changed the angle of the kiss.

The mood shifted and Lexa started peppering kisses all over the blonde's face, eliciting a giggle. She smiled brightly upon hearing the sound and didn't relent in her kisses, hoping to hear it again.

"You're tired" Lexa whispered, having noticed the blonde's drooping eyelids.

Clarke hummed, "but I can stay awake, don't worry"

"Nonsense. Go to sleep"

"But-"

"I'll still be here when you wake up. I'm not going anywhere and you kinda agreed to marry me so you're stuck with me"

"Good thing I love you then" Clarke said as her eyelids grew heavier, already on the brink of falling asleep.

"Good thing, indeed" Lexa whispered before her ears were graced with the endearing sound of Clarke's light snoring.

 

 

\---------------------------

 

 

Lexa felt some movements and turned her head towards Clarke's figure as the girl awoke. She threaded her fingers through blonde hair.

"Hey, sleeping beauty" she murmured.

"Hey" Clarke said, her voice still hoarse from sleeping. The blonde immediately took a look at her hand, checking that the ring was still there and that indeed it hadn't all been the fruit of her imagination.

"It wasn't a dream" Lexa told her.

"It wasn't a dream" Clarke repeated Lexa's words, smiling to herself. Blue connected with green, "I can't wait to become Mrs. Woods"

"Woods? Don't you want to keep your last name?" Lexa frowned.

Clarke sat up and Lexa mimicked her. The blonde's hands shot up to Lexa's cheeks and she leaned her forehead against the girl's.

"I know how much your last name means to you" she whispered, "besides, Clarke Woods sounds pretty good, doesn't it?"

"It does. It really does" Lexa whispered.

Last year, if you had told Lexa she'd be engaged at age seventeen, she would have laughed in your face and walked away, shaking her head at how absurd of an idea it was but if you asked her now, she'd tell that marrying Clarke was an evidence to her. That she knows Clarke and herself are meant to be together and she didn't feel the need to wait any longer before proposing. In a way, she felt that getting the chance to grow old with the love of her life was the universe's way of redeeming himself for all that he's put her through.

They heard the door creack open and watched as Aden climbed onto the bed and cuddle up to them, situating himself between both of their bodies.

A feeling of pure happiness settled onto the two girls as they held onto the boy while keeping their eyes firmly locked together. Lexa's jaw ached from smiling so much. Green bore into blue.

"I'm happy" Lexa simply whispered.

"Then I'm happy too" Clarke smiled.

Lexa couldn't remember a moment in her life where she had felt such happiness, such contentment and as she closed her eyes, she silently thanked the universe for granting her such a perfect life. She really couldn't wait to spend a lifetime with Clarke.

 

[Clarke's engagement ring](https://images.baunat.com/en/82444_CL-GW-R3-0050S_1_325x325/0-50-carat-solitaire-diamond-engagement-ring-in-white-gold.jpg)

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sad to finish this story but I'm also glad I'll have more time on my hands for the one I've started writing recently. I won't stop writing for this fandom, this is something I enjoy doing. Starting this story I didn't know exactly where I was going with it and the story shaped itself bit by bit. I'm honesty really happy with the final result. I want to thank every single person who has either read, gave kudos or commented on this story. Your support means a lot to me and encourages me to keep writing. Till next time (which will be soon, I'm sure)  
> PS: you can find me on Twitter if you'd like @benemlmns


	33. AUTHOR'S NOTE

I don't know how many of you will see this but this is something I wanted to share. I am strongly considering writing a sequel to this story. 

The support I got for this story was huge and I realized recently how much I missed writing this. I want to get back to it this summer. My question now is if some of you would be interested in a sequel and if yes, what would you want to see in it? Any suggestion is welcome and you can be assured that I will read every single comment.

I will keep writing for this fandom for a long time because it is something I truly enjoy doing. It makes me happy and allows me to not only perfect my english but also to get to know you guys a bit better. Clexa shippers are pretty hard to find here in Belgium and social media is one awesome way to connect with people who share your interests.

You guys are all such beautiful people and if I can brighten your day even if just a tiny bit by writing stories, then I will be the happiest girl on earth. 

With that, I wish you all an amazing day and I hope things are going alright for all of you :)

ps : if any of you wanna talk on twitter, my dms are always open @benemlmns


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